


stay for a while before you go

by taeyongsan



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Mutual Pining, Slow Build, Sugar Daddy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:20:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 24,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28986996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeyongsan/pseuds/taeyongsan
Summary: Dongju didn’t know when it stopped being about the parties, the clothes, and the money he received and when it started being about wanting to truly be with and there for Geonhak.
Relationships: Kim Geonhak | Leedo/Son Dongju | Xion, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this is my first fic for ONEUS!
> 
> I contemplated making a new account but decided to keep it here just to have I’ve written everything together, and since this will likely be the first ONEUS fic of many from me! Honestly, I’m a bit nervous to post it since this is all new territory, fandom and writing-wise, but I’m still excited! This particular pairing caught my attention from the get-go and I was _so_ inspired by a few specific things that I had to get to writing this as soon as possible. To anyone who reads, thank you!
> 
> As I’m mostly writing this on a whim with no solid plan yet, updates will likely take a while and perhaps be infrequent. Tags will be appropriately updated as I post. I didn’t tag the background relationships but they will include: Dongmyeong/Giwook, Youngjo/Hwanwoong, and Keonhee/Seoho (if you _really_ squint).
> 
> A super big thank you to Ellie, who was the first enabler of this idea, and to Joshua, who read this through and gave me so many kind words that encouraged me to post it.
> 
> The title of the work was taken from “for lovers who hesitate” by JANNABI.

Dongju was a bit skeptical this would work. He had given it some thought and decided he’d go through with it if just to see what it was about. He doubted this kind of thing was for him, though his brother insisted otherwise.

“You’d have no trouble getting someone on there,” Dongmyeong had told him. Dongju remembered looking over at him, the profile setup waiting to be filled on his laptop screen. Dongmyeong had met his eyes through the mirror, smacking his lips a couple of times to fix his lip gloss. “The guys on there love pretty people and you are so pretty. They’ll be falling over their feet for you.”

“You think so?” Dongju asked, breaking eye contact and returning his attention to the profile setup. He stared at the blinking text cursor. “I don’t know…”

“Absolutely.”

It wasn’t that Dongju doubted Dongmyeong. He wouldn’t say anything half-heartedly. If Dongmyeong said it, he was confident in his statement. And Dongju could also confidently say he was a pretty person. He enjoyed doing his hair and makeup; he liked dressing nicely when he went out. Dongju put a lot of effort into maintaining his appearance. They both did, and they both had received a long list of compliments because of it. 

Pretty, Dongju thought when he uploaded his best photos to the site. He’d gone through his camera roll and picked the best ones with Dongmyeon30g’s help. There had to be a certain air to his profile to make it more appealing, according to Dongmyeong, and there had to be the perfect amount of photos to give others enough to bite without revealing too much of what kind of person he was. Photos that Dongju had taken on vacations over recent years were perfect — he appeared somewhat well-traveled but not overly so, there was no way to tell where he actually lived, and he was appropriately dressed in each photo.

It had taken a couple of hours for them to be approved for his profile but once they were, it was a done deal. His completed profile was up and ready for all other members to view.

He was really doing this then.

If he thought about it, the way he’d ended up here wasn’t as interesting as one would think. There was no desperation or need to jump into something like this. Dongju made enough from his part-time job to be able to handle himself well. His scholarships helped with his tuition and he shared living expenses with Dongmyeong and Giwook so he had some pocket change at the end of each month. He indulged in his interests as much as he could without spending it all and it was enough.

Still, he thought it would be good to have a little more. Dongju did have some expensive interests. It would be nice if he could buy more than a couple of clothing items and a few new makeup products each month. He easily could’ve picked up more shifts or found a second, lighter part-time job. There were plenty of places hiring nearby. There were even positions on the university campus that were flexible and paid attending students well. Still, those weren’t appealing. He wasn’t lazy; he just didn’t want to pile more work onto his schedule. Those online make-money-quick schemes were out of the question as well.

“Why not be a sugar baby?” Giwook jokingly suggested one night

It took him by surprise. Dongju only knew it was a joke because of the small huff of laughter from Giwook that followed. Though it was meant to be a ridiculous suggestion, the idea was intriguing to Dongju.

Dongmyeong was working later than usual and Dongju had taken to airing his complaints about his lack of pocket change to Giwook, who didn’t seem too bothered by it. He and Dongju weren’t all that close, only connected through Dongmyeong and the fact that both their names were listed as tenants on the apartment lease. Despite having known Giwook for so long, Dongju thought they barely scraped by as _friends_ sometimes. It was just enough for Dongju to gather the courage to talk Giwook’s ear off. Dongju hadn’t even been sure he was listening until he voiced his suggestion. It was only then that he noticed only one of the earpads of his headset was over an ear. He didn’t have time to be embarrassed about whining for the better part of an hour, too focused on the new suggestion. He’d never considered it before. 

“A sugar baby?”

“Yeah, but without the sugar,” Giwook murmured. He was half-paying attention to Dongju, his eyes on the computer monitor, one hand moving across the keyboard and the other moving the mouse. The sound of his game was loud enough to be heard by Dongju through his headset now that it was quiet and he was paying attention. “Dongmyeong does it sometimes.”

“He does?” Whatever his brother did in his private time was none of Dongju’s business. But still… “And you’re okay with that?”

“There’s no sugar,” Giwook repeated. “And we’ve all been reaping the benefits of it. You think our part-time jobs paid for that new coffee maker we got last month? That thing cost a fortune.”

They’d left it at that. Dongju collected his things and went to his room shortly after, leaving Giwook to play his game in peace, now fully capable of feeling the embarrassment of how much he’d complained. He heard Dongmyeong return a bit later, his greeting to Giwook muffled by the closed door.

So Dongmyeong made a bit of extra money as a sugar baby, Dongju had thought later that night when they ate supper together. It didn’t change Dongju’s perception of Dongmyeong. He did think it was a bit odd that Dongmyeong was able to splurge as much as he did but he’d always chalked it up to Dongmyeong’s part-time job paying much better than his. In the end, he was still the Dongmyeong that Dongju knew and loved. It wasn’t his place to judge especially since Giwook was right — they all reaped the benefits of Dongmyeong’s extra money. And hundreds of people all around the world did this and most of them were normal, good people like Dongmyeong. Like Dongju.

His search the next day yielded millions of results and after some quick research, he found a site. Whether this was the same site Dongmyeong used, Dongju didn’t know. It’d taken him a couple of days to get to hitting the signup button. It was then that he told Dongmyeong, letting himself be guided a bit.

“Giwook mentioned you might do this,” he’d said, pulling one of the dining chairs closer to Dongju’s side and settling in, turning his attention to the laptop screen. “This site’s pretty good. Great for beginners.”

There was no judgment and no questions from Dongmyeong. Once Dongju signed up, Dongmyeong had offered his advice and helped him work the site a bit, giving him tips on how to word this or that on his profile. It was fairly simple.

The photos were the last thing Dongju uploaded to his profile, officially completing every step and waiting to be approved.

And when it was all said and done, the email of approval in his inbox and some extra tips from the site itself, he decided to spend some alone time browsing through the members. There were hundreds to choose from. A lot of no-photo, sketchy people, he noted as he scrolled through page after page. He passed over those without a second glance. He wasn’t a super picky person but after fixing his search settings, he seemed to have found a personal gold mine, slashing down the search results to only a couple hundred.

These were much better, he thought. He clicked through some profiles, reading their bios and what they were looking for. He was lenient with who he favorited, clicking the small heart even if the person didn’t match up to what he’d listed as his ideal person. It didn’t hurt to do it. After all, he was sure no serious arrangements would come of it in the end.

It was fun, scrolling page after page. Dongju spent the entire afternoon on the site, looking at everyone presented to him. There were some attractive guys and if he came across them in real life, he would definitely be interested. Of course, there was one small issue.

“Forty-six,” Dongju murmured, staring at the profile of a man.

From his profile photo, Dongju decided he was definitely handsome ― a nice smile, dark eyes, a neatly pressed suit, and a seemingly expensive watch. He didn’t look forty-six years old, meaning he took good care of himself or was born blessed with youth. Maybe both. Dongju hit the small heart, pushing aside any reservations he had.

Was it scary? Yes, of course. Having much older men be able to access his profile did make him a bit nervous but if they were genuine about this kind of thing, they were probably good people. They wouldn’t send creepy messages and harass him. If they did, Dongju had no qualms about blocking them and reporting their profile.

After he favorited as many people as he could, Dongju closed the site, shutting down his laptop and setting it aside. He’d come back to it in a few days, just to see if anyone was interested.

“It’s better to wait,” Dongmyeong had told him earlier. “Let them come to you. That’s what they’re after in the first place.”

If they’re real, they’ll be patient, Dongju thought. It was Thursday now. He’d check again on Saturday. For now, he had to get ready to go to work.

* * *

Dongju had used a brand new email for his profile. Every article and video he’d come across suggested making new things for his profile that didn’t include any personal information ― email, number, KakaoTalk, online payment account. It was a precaution for creeps. None of this would lead back to his real information and he’d be safer for it.

He hadn’t added the email to his phone so he had no way of receiving notifications from the site. When he finally logged back on, he was slightly taken aback by the number of notifications. He clicked through each one. He’d received several favorites back and some from users he hadn’t favorited in the first place. His profile had been visited multiple times by some people and it was these people whose messages he found in his inbox.

It was easy to see which messages were likely scams. Dongmyeong had given him some advice on this. Any suspicious links, requests for money, and similar obvious scams were automatic disqualifiers. After deleting those, he was left with ten messages. From there, he could pick and choose who to answer. He doubted he’d find someone truly interesting from a simple conversation but it could make for worthwhile entertainment.

Seven of them were simply variations of greetings. He answered two after reading through each profile, giving back just what he’d received. Another one of the messages was a witty pick-up line, which Dongju had found amusing at first but after reading the profile of the man, he thought it was a bit too corny. Two messages remained and both were nearly identical — a simple greeting and a straight to the point question.

Dongju took another moment to examine each profile. It was a bit fun, though some part inside him felt guilty for making a small game of this. He didn’t have plans to take any of these seriously and these were real people with genuine intentions messaging him. He wondered if Dongmyeong had ever found himself in such a situation. Dongju could easily go out and get him to help pick a winner of this game, the two of them huddled on Dongju’s bed like all those years ago when they were kids, sneakily doing this or that without wanting their parents to know. But they were too old for that now. He couldn’t rely on Dongmyeong for this kind of thing though, whether he found an arrangement or not.

“Leedo,” Dongju murmured to himself, clicking through the first profile. “Twenty-four.”

Handsome, he thought immediately as he studied the profile photo. It was a selfie type photo. He had a sharp jawline and a strong gaze but the strength of his sharp features was softened by a somewhat shy smile. Pretty dark eyes, pretty pink lips… Definitely handsome. A young man in a more casual outfit, his dark hair combed over asymmetrically and imperfectly — just enough that he seemed approachable but not enough that it took away the obvious air of wealth that he gave off. Dongju caught the small name brand logo on his shirt and nearly chuckled. What a way to sneak it in there. 

His bio was rather empty and it did not indicate what kind of person he could be.

_My name is Leedo. Message me if you’re interested. We can discuss from there._

It was straightforward and left a lot to be curious about, which was amusing in a way. From his appearance, Dongju didn’t think this Leedo person could be the serious or uptight type of man. Maybe rich young men were just different.

There was a small section where Leedo ticked off the kind of person and arrangement he was looking for: must be okay with traveling, must be okay with physical activities, monogamous, indiscreet, and both platonic and romantic relationship options were ticked off yet the friends with benefits and anything else relating to sexual activities were not. Maybe he was trying to cover as many bases as he could without being too specific to get more people to find him on the site. Interesting, Dongju thought as he continued to the next part.

Dongju thought that being able to see the net worth of each user looking to be a sugar daddy was a bit ridiculous and he nearly wrote off the whole thing as a joke when he saw a majority of the numbers each profile had. Leedo’s was no different. It was not four, five, or six figures but a whopping seven figures. Seven figures and at twenty-four? There was no sign as to what his occupation could be on his profile besides a short line in his basic information that listed his line of work as _business_ , which seemed like the most sketchy part of his profile.

This Leedo person was on the younger side of those who had messaged Dongju, if not the youngest person who’d messaged him. With a figure like that and very little to explain it, Dongju was tempted to assume it meant no good and think he’d be better off with the other man — a forty-something with a very detailed profile filled with credentials he could verify. It was almost enough to cause suspicion but Leedo’s credibility was strengthened by being completely verified on the site. This Leedo was a _premium_ member of the site, meaning he paid to gain access to extra features and also had a completed background check and all. And if that was the case… 

Well, Dongju would bite.

He returned to his inbox and read the message Leedo had sent. Simple and to the point. The timestamp said it was sent yesterday afternoon.

_Hello, I’m Leedo. What exactly are you looking for?_

From Leedo’s profile, he seemed to be open to anything. He did have both platonic and romantic options ticked off, meaning it could be either-or. Perhaps neither. Dongju took his time in coming up with an answer, staring at the empty message box and blinking cursor. He hadn’t expected to receive upfront questions like this from the get-go. It almost made him want to go back and see if he could talk to someone else, one of the men that simply sent a _hello_. With them, Dongju would be able to play it by ear a little better for some time and get a feel for how this worked. It didn’t seem like Leedo would sit through those types of games for long.

It took a few more minutes before Dongju typed out his response.

_Honestly, this is my first time doing this so I don’t know. What are you looking for?_

Before he could think twice, he hit send. There was no response right away and since Dongju wasn’t a premium member, he didn’t have the luxury of knowing if Leedo had read his message or was even online at the moment. He waited for a minute and when nothing happened, he got up from his bed, leaving the chat open.

When he stepped out of his bedroom and into the main room, he found Dongmyeong on the couch, remote in hand and hitting the same button, the channel on the television changing before Dongju could process what program was on. As Dongju passed behind the couch, he noticed Giwook was nowhere to be seen.

“You’ve been holed up in your room for a while,” Dongmyeong murmured. His eyes didn’t leave the TV. “It's just you and me right now, little bro.”

Dongju let out a small huff and ignored Dongmyeong’s teasing smile. “I’ll be going back to my room.”

Before Dongju could get too far, Dongmyeong wrapped his hand around his wrist, tugging him. The remote was still in his other hand but it seemed like he’d settled on a program, the sound of some girl group members laughing on a variety show filling the air. “C’mon, sit out here with me for a bit. Giwook is bringing food for us.”

“At work?” Dongju let himself be pulled onto the couch, settling beside Dongmyeong and taking one of the pillows to hug across his chest. “What’s he bringing?”

“He was at a PC bang with some of his friends.” Dongmyeong yawned, dropping the remote in between them and stretching his arms out. “It’s been a couple of hours and he sent me a message that he was done. He’s bringing fried chicken.”

“Sounds good,” Dongju replied. He spared a glance at the window, seeing how the sun had slowly disappeared over the horizon, and was thankful for Giwook’s offer of food. He returned his attention to the TV, the girl group was doing some dance challenge. From the corner of his eye, he could see Dongmyeong bobbing his head along to the song but his attention was on his phone, a KakaoTalk chat open. He bumped his knee against Dongmyeong’s. “Hey, are you paying attention? I’ll go back to my room.”

Dongmyeong let out an incoherent complaint, setting aside his phone and holding onto Dongju’s arm to keep him there. “Stop,” he whined. “You’re so short-tempered. Look, let me tell you who’s who in this group. They just debuted, you know?”

* * *

Dongju didn’t return to his room until hours later. Giwook had come home with the promised chicken and they ate together as they did most nights. Dongju stayed behind to clean up after losing a game of paper-rock-scissors but Giwook had been nice enough to take the trash out. Dongmyeong had gone back to the couch, finding another variety show to watch, pulling Giwook down onto the couch with him once he returned. 

The sounds of the guests laughing and talking served as background noise while Dongju washed everything up. He wiped down the table and even took care of the counters so he wouldn’t have any complaints from Dongmyeong about not cleaning up properly. There wasn’t much else to do and he made sure he wasn’t walking into anything as he left the cramped kitchen.

It seemed like both Dongmyeong and Giwook had fallen asleep, a new show playing on the TV. Dongju took the spare throw blanket and covered them both up. Dongmyeong wouldn’t be able to sleep that way for much longer and Dongju knew they’d both be going back to their room soon.

It was only when he returned to his own room and spotted his laptop that he remembered how he’d left it. The screen had turned black and when he hit a few random keys, it showed him his lock screen. He tapped in the pin and a moment later, the chat with Leedo was back on display.

There were a few new messages.

 _I’m looking for company_ , it said. It’d been sent minutes after he’d left his room earlier.

 _It says you read my message but you’re idle now. Did I scare you off?_ This one had been sent about forty-five minutes after the first.

 _If you come back and still happen to be interested, send me a message here._ There was a phone number attached. The message had been sent just fifteen minutes ago.

Dongju took the laptop from his bed and put it on his desk, taking a seat in his chair, legs tucked underneath him. Company? It could mean a lot of things. Maybe Leedo had bitten first by sending the message but Dongju had returned the gesture. It was hard to tell who had the power now but as he thought about it, he realized it was him.

 _No_ , he typed out, _I’d like to talk through here first._

The response came quickly. _Fair enough. It’s your first time doing this you said._

 _What did you mean by company?_ Dongju typed out.

 _Just chatting and similar things._ Before Dongju could reply, another message popped up. _And in return, you get what you’re looking for._

Dongju hummed, rereading the first line of the message. _I don’t do nudes and I don’t sext_ , he answered.

It wasn’t meant to be a test but if it was, Leedo would’ve passed easily. _I respect that. I wasn’t going to ask that of you. What I meant was more like friends. Talk to me, depend on me._

 _Paying me to be your friend?_ Dongju waited a moment before sending it. Leedo didn’t answer right away and he wondered if it had sounded too harsh. But Dongju was curious. This Leedo was handsome and rich. He had to be surrounded by people dying to be part of his circle. Dongju followed up, hitting enter before he could reconsider. _Sorry. You’re handsome and rich, I’m sure it’s not friends you need._

_You’re right. I have plenty of friends but they’re like me._

_Extremely rich and handsome?_ Dongju smiled to himself, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth, wondering how Leedo would react. He couldn’t imagine the man from the profile picture being flustered or taken aback by the question. Maybe Leedo knew he was handsome and was confident in himself.

 _More or less,_ was Leedo’s response. _They don’t need to depend on me._

Dongju stalled for a minute before hitting send. _And I do?_

 _If you want to, you can._ Leedo sent two more messages in quick succession. _So do you know now, what you want? You said no nudes or sexting so I assume you’re not looking for sexual favors in return._

_Money is nice but if you can buy me the things I want right away, I wouldn’t have to take the time to buy them myself. You can do that, right?_

Part of Dongju wished he could see Leedo’s reaction. He was beginning to push the line, given that it was his first time. Leedo would either take him seriously or think he was playing a game and move on.

 _What kind of items do you want? Clothes, jewelry, tickets to events?_ Another message came seconds later. _I don’t have many limits so there’s no need to worry about the cost. I won’t do anything illegal, however._

 _I’m not involved in anything illegal. Clothes, makeup, jewelry… I like feeling pretty._ Dongju bit down on his bottom lip again. It was suggestive at most but Leedo either didn’t care for it or was amazingly dense enough that he couldn’t tell.

 _You’re pretty._ There was no underlying meaning to it and it wasn’t meant as a joke. It was sincere and straightforward. Another message appeared underneath. _Are you open to meeting in-person?_

Dongju knew the dangers of meeting online strangers in-person, especially in something like this. Dongmyeong had given him some tips on how to stay safe, should he decide to meet with anyone. Dongju had honestly gone into this thinking he wouldn’t but Leedo interested him just enough that he might consider it.

 _In a public place, yes_ , Dongju finally replied.

_I’ll work with your schedule. When are you free?_

His classes took up a lot of his time during the week and he also had his job. Ideally, the weekend was best but Dongju knew he was scheduled for next Saturday and he needed to spend next Sunday studying. 

_My day off is Wednesday. I’m free after 11:45._

As he waited for Leedo’s response, he scrolled through their conversation, rereading everything and committing each small detail to memory. He’d vaguely tell Dongmyeong about it later on, just in case. When Dongju reached the top, he realized he’d forgotten something.

A small arrow pointing down appeared in the corner, indicating a new message. Dongju read Leedo’s new message.

_Dinner seems too formal for a first meeting, right? What about lunch? I know a place._

Dongju smiled. _Sounds perfect, Leedo-ssi_ , he wrote. _It’s nice to meet you, by the way. I never introduced myself. My name’s Xion._

 _Nice to meet you, Xion-ssi,_ Leedo wrote back. _It suits you._

At this, Dongju huffed out a small laugh. _Good night, Leedo-ssi._

Dongju realized it was getting late. Whether Leedo had plans the next day, Dongju didn’t know, but he certainly had plans, remembering Keonhee had invited him out for a while. Besides, as Dongmyeong said, he had to leave them wanting a bit more. He quickly closed down the browser and shut off the laptop.

Only when he checked the site on his phone the next morning did he see Leedo’s last message to him. 

_Good night, Xion-ssi._

* * *

Dongju nearly forgot his plans with Leedo when Wednesday came. He’d been spending as much time as he could finishing a paper, just barely turning it in the night before and the morning was filled with two hour-long classes back-to-back, which didn’t give Dongju the time to check his messages.

When he finally found time to pull out his phone, it was a little past eleven and he was taking his seat at one of the open computers inside the university library. As he waited for it to boot up, he answered Dongmyeong’s message about when he’d be home. Underneath his KakaoTalk chat with Dongmyeong was his chat with Leedo.

On Sunday, Leedo had suggested using KakaoTalk instead of texting and Dongju had given in. He had made a new account before he signed up so he didn’t mind it. There was very little that revealed who he truly was. They hadn’t spoken much through KakaoTalk anyway, the most being on Monday night. Leedo had asked a few questions, seemingly to get to know Dongju, and Dongju had answered honestly. Dongju didn’t have much time to ask questions before Leedo said good night. They’d only exchanged a few messages yesterday since Dongju worked right after his last class and then needed to finish his paper.

Below Leedo’s good night message from last night was a new one, sent earlier in the morning. _Xion-ssi, I’ve made reservations for 1:30 at The Mess. I hope French is alright._

Dongju searched for it before replying to Leedo. The Mess was a French restaurant on the 10th floor of a luxury hotel about half an hour away by train. He’d never heard of it and for good reason, it seemed. Lunch courses started at 100,000 won and after a glance at the menu, he realized he had never had any of the dishes in his life. They were names he’d only heard from movies and TV shows. Dongju made sure there was no dress code and there wasn’t, which he was glad for. He was dressed nicely but still rather casually, having gotten ready in a hurry in the morning, and he hoped it wouldn’t make him stand out too much.

He moved back to the chat. _I’ll see you there._

Leedo’s response came within moments. _I’ll be outside the hotel._

Dongju set aside his phone, a sudden wave of nerves moving through him. He shook in his seat, starting with his hands and moving up to his arms, releasing all the tension. It was fine, he reassured himself when he stopped, briefly looking around to make sure no one was looking at him. He would be fine. Dongmyeong knew he was meeting with someone and Dongju would send him the information about the restaurant in a moment. He’d even gone far enough to tell Keonhee, as vague as he’d been about it.

He gripped the edge of the desk, staring at the login screen on the computer monitor. Leedo had assured him that they could end the meeting at any time, should Dongju feel uncomfortable. But Dongju wasn’t uncomfortable about meeting Leedo. He was… nervous. He hadn’t thought he’d seriously meet someone through the site, especially someone as attractive as Leedo.

As tempting as it was, Dongju hadn’t tried to find who Leedo could really be, just taking what he’d been offered on Leedo’s profile. On Sunday night, Leedo had granted Dongju access to a private photo gallery, allowing Dongju to really confirm that the man in the profile photo really was Leedo. Photos of him in suits, posing in front of blank walls, and a couple of shots from what looked like vacations, Leedo dressed down in summer wear in front of beaches, at poolsides, or on boats in the middle of a sparkling sea. Him being a catfish was the least of his worries as Monday night, Leedo had sent a selfie at Dongju’s request.

Just remembering that was enough to make Dongju tense up again. Even though he’d only looked at it for a moment, it was burned into his mind along with the message Leedo had sent.

 _You caught me at a hard time, Xion-ssi_ , Leedo had written, _But I don’t want to keep you waiting in case you think I’m asking or looking for a picture. I’m not a catfish._

It wasn’t late, just after dinner, and it made Dongju wonder if Leedo ate dinner at a later hour or extremely early. He wondered because the photo Leedo had sent was him post-workout.

Dongju let go of the desk and propped his elbows on the tabletop, dropping his head into his hands. He could still see it: Leedo’s glistening face, his damp hair pushed back, his index finger gently pushing up his chin a little as per Dongju’s instructions. His expression was hard to describe, slightly scrunched up in a combination of tiredness and playfulness. Given the angle, it was hard to see much else but Dongju had noticed a part of his bare shoulder barely covered by the positioning of his forearm. Dongju could also see how the collar of Leedo's black tank swooped down just below his clavicles, exposing the upper part of his chest, the warm skin there also shining with a thin layer of sweat.

God, Leedo was attractive. Dongju felt his face grow warm and he pressed his hands against his cheeks, hoping to will the heat away before someone saw him. It wasn’t that he was hot and bothered by one photo of Leedo but it was truly incredible that he could be _that_ attractive. He could be an idol, Dongju thought, one of the really built ones who always were made to wear those tight sleeveless shirts on music shows. Not that Dongju necessarily wanted to see Leedo in something like that. Not at all.

Dongju’s phone vibrated on the table, the sound echoing and making some people nearby try to find the source. He picked up his phone and held it to his chest, hoping no one noticed it was him. He checked the notification once he was sure he was in the clear. It was from Dongmyeong.

_Lunch then. Until when? Tell me where and I can keep an eye on you._

He huffed in amusement. _I doubt that_ , Dongju typed out. _He made reservations at The Mess._

Dongmyeong’s reply came far too quickly for someone who was supposed to be in class at the moment. _The Mess? So he’s trying to show you he’s rich, rich._ Before Dongju could finish typing his reply, another message came in. _Turn your location on through iMessage then. Giwook and I will keep an eye on it._

Instead of continuing with his original reply, Dongju did as he was instructed and left it at that, silencing his phone and finally getting to work. He was able to get a small fraction of his work done before he had to go. He thought about going back home to leave his things but it would be cutting it close. After leaving the library and going down to the station, he sent a message to Leedo.

_I’m on my way now. Is it okay if I bring my school bag?_

Leedo answered a few minutes later. _Coming straight from your university?_ _It’s fine. No one will say anything._

Dongju didn’t answer, pocketing his phone and taking a few deep breaths. The train came and he got on, glad that he was able to grab a seat. It was a quiet ride for the most part and the closer the train got to where the hotel was, the fewer people were getting on and the more were getting off. Soon enough, Dongju was the only person his age, casually dressed among extremely professional-looking businessmen and women.

When they announced the stop, Dongju prepared to get off, standing and waiting by the doors. As soon as they opened, he rushed out onto the platform and took off, finding the main street. The hotel wasn’t far from the station and after searching it on his phone again, he was able to find it easily.

There weren’t many people going in or out of the hotel, only a couple of sleek black cars pulling in, some well-dressed individuals getting out and disappearing inside. Dongju waited for a moment, watching as the cars pulled away. Standing by the glass doors were two people and even from a distance, Dongju could recognize Leedo.

He was real.

Dongju brushed off the front of his clothes and fixed the strap of his bag on his shoulder before making his way over, careful to avoid the new cars pulling up to the front. Leedo seemed to spot him quickly as he motioned for the person standing with him to come closer. His lips were moving and Dongju looked away, his gaze trailing up the tall hotel. He’d heard of it before but he’d never been in the neighborhood. There was little reason for him to be in a place like this. 

When he looked back at Leedo, he was alone. A small group of people passed between them, the doorman opening the large glass door for them. As it shut, Leedo crossed the space between them, stopping about an arm’s length away. Dongju blinked a few times.

He wasn’t much taller than Dongju, only a few centimeters at most. Even so, Dongju couldn’t meet his eyes for more than a second. He didn’t mean to look Leedo up and down but he did in his nervousness, catching sight of the expensive watch on one of his wrists. But more than that, Dongju noticed how well his suit fit him. It had to be personally tailored for him, he thought as he noticed how snugly the jacket fit around his broad shoulders.

Leedo cleared his throat. “Xion, right?” he asked. His voice was much deeper than Dongju imagined it would be but it was still smooth and rather quiet. Maybe Leedo didn’t want anyone to hear them speaking. Dongju was nearly convinced when Leedo gave a glance around. “You’re early.”

Maybe they were in a place where Leedo was most comfortable but Dongju still had all the power here. Even in situations where Dongju wasn’t calm or confident, he was great at feigning it. He shrugged one shoulder. “It’d be rude to keep someone like you waiting, Leedo-ssi,” Dongju answered, keeping his voice quiet.

It was hard to tell if Leedo was taken aback or not. His expression remained calm as he met Dongju’s gaze. Still, there was something in his eyes that Dongju couldn’t pinpoint. Leedo carefully studied every part of his face. Nervousness… unexpected attraction, perhaps, Dongju thought when he noticed Leedo’s attention lingered on his lips for a moment longer. Dongju almost smiled. 

“Shall we go in?” he asked, motioning to the doors.

“I’ll lead the way,” Leedo answered quickly. Dongju’s gaze momentarily moved down to Leedo’s lips, small but plush and pink, and he caught Leedo swiping his tongue across his upper lip as he turned away. “Follow me.”

Dongju remained quiet and followed behind, keeping the arm’s distance between him and Leedo. The doorman greeted Leedo politely, seeming to recognize him. He nodded in acknowledgment at Dongju, only offering a tight smile. Dongju nodded back and returned his attention to Leedo’s back.

He had broad shoulders, as Dongju had noticed earlier, and Dongju was sure that all of Leedo’s workouts proved successful in keeping him built. He brushed away the imagination of the taut back muscles that might be hidden by Leedo’s suit, looking around the hotel lobby instead.

There was a two-tiered fountain in the center, the sound of the clear water trickling into a white marble basin accompanying some classical piano piece that played softly in the background. Some plush chairs and loveseats were arranged to the side for seating but were empty. Across from the seating area, there was a long reception made of the same marble the fountain basin was made of. Behind it were receptionists, in identical uniforms and hairstyles. If Dongju could look closer, he imagined they also would have identical makeup looks.

They bypassed all of that, going directly to the elevators. There was no one else waiting so they got on and Leedo closed the doors. Dongju settled in the back of the elevator and Leedo made no move to stand next to him, staying by the button panel. Dongju looked up and watched as the number changed. They didn’t stop once and after a long minute of silence, the doors opened and revealed the entrance to the restaurant.

Dongju followed Leedo out, adjusting his bag on his shoulder again. Leedo stopped at the host’s stand, leaning in. The hostess standing there leaned in as well, the polite smile never leaving her face.

Maybe Leedo didn’t want anyone else to hear or maybe he didn’t want Dongju in particular to hear. If it was the latter, Dongju would pretend he hadn’t heard a thing. He was close enough to hear everything. “Reservation for two under Kim Geonhak,” Leedo said. His voice was much deeper when he was whispering and Dongju took a small step back, straightening his stance. “Everything should be prepared?”

The host also straightened up. Her gaze moved to Dongju and her smile seemed forced now. When she met Leedo’s gaze again, she visibly relaxed and nodded. “Of course, sir,” she answered and she looked down to do something on a tablet set across the stand. “Please, follow me.”

The hostess led them through the dining room. Large floor-to-ceiling windows allowed a view of the neighborhood and let the sunlight stream in. Even with all the natural light, there were several small chandeliers, giving off a warm white light where the sun didn’t reach. There were gold details on the walls, the color enhanced by the light of the chandeliers, and a few landscape paintings in between ornate unlit wall sconces. There were only a few tables occupied by small parties of three or four. No one spared them a glance. The smell of the food was delicious and Dongju tried to keep his eyes on Leedo, not wanting to be caught peeking at a stranger’s meal.

There were several wide double doors along the furthest wall and the hostess opened one of them, motioning them to go in. Leedo entered and Dongju stepped in behind him. He and the hostess exchanged some words but Dongju paid no mind, too distracted by what was opposite of the doors they’d come through. There was a table set in the center of the room but it’s not what caught Dongju’s attention.

Just like in the main dining room, this room had a floor-to-ceiling window, giving them access to the view of the other side of the neighborhood. Unlike the view of the street and the other surrounding buildings from the other windows, this side of the restaurant had more to it. It was absolutely gorgeous. He could see the neighborhood and even beyond that. Dongju carefully crossed the room, his fingers hovering over the glass, admiring the sight.

“Do you like it?” Leedo asked from somewhere behind him.

It took Dongju by surprise but he did his best not to jump. He didn’t look back at Leedo, not wanting him to see whatever expression was on his face. “Yes,” Dongju said, his warm breath fogging a small part of the window. It disappeared quickly and he took a deep breath in, a step back, finally turning to face Leedo. Maybe knowing that Leedo was feeling some nervousness was enough that Dongju no longer tensed up or avoided meeting his eyes. Finally, with his gaze meeting Leedo’s, he exhaled and smiled. “It’s very nice.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste,” Leedo answered, his attention moving to the view behind Dongju. It took a moment before Leedo moved again, going to one of the chairs at the table and pulling it out. “As you can see, we have the room to ourselves so we can discuss freely.”

“Right,” Dongju said, coming closer. He set his bag on the ground and took the offered seat. Leedo took a seat across from him, laying the cloth napkin across his lap. Dongju followed, smoothing the cloth over his jeans. He looked around the room. It was fairly empty, just a few wall sconces. He glanced up and found the same kind of chandelier from the main dining area. Clearing his throat, he looked at Leedo again. “It’s a very nice restaurant.” 

“I placed the order ahead so there’s no need to wait.” Leedo put a hand on either side of his place setting and leaned back in his chair. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“Not at all,” Dongju answered quickly. He did feel out of place but he wouldn’t let himself be intimidated by the grandeur of the place. “I feel very much at home.”

Leedo huffed out a quiet laugh, raising his hand to cover his small smile. Dongju enjoyed how Leedo’s eyes narrowed slightly as he laughed and how he timidly moved his attention down to the table. “Good,” he said once he gathered himself. His gaze slowly moved up, and through short, straight lashes, his dark eyes met Dongju’s eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was a bit quieter. “If you’d like it, you can eat here as many times as you like. The dinner menu is delicious.”

“If it’s a possibility,” Dongju said. “If it’s within the limits.”

“As I said before, I don’t have many hard limits.”

Dongju inhaled sharply and finally broke eye contact, focusing on the silverware set out on the table. He wasn’t familiar with proper etiquette but he’d follow Leedo’s example when it came to it. He wouldn’t let himself be intimidated. Not by the luxurious environment of the restaurant, the number of utensils, or the possible suggestions of Leedo’s statements. That was if Leedo meant anything at all.

“You’ll find that many people do have limits,” Dongju finally said, not daring to look up.

“And what are your limits, Xion-ssi?”

Before Dongju could answer, the door opened and a young server stepped in with something in hand. Leedo motioned for him to come closer. The server held a dark bottle and he showed the label to Leedo.

“Ah…” Leedo held up a hand and looked at Dongju. “Are you really twenty-two?”

“Of course,” Dongju answered. He glanced at the waiter’s face, surprised to see him already staring. There was definitely some curiosity there. As the server prepared to open the bottle, Dongju looked at Leedo, clearing his throat to get his attention. “But I don’t drink much.”

It wasn’t a lie. Dongju wasn’t a good drinker and while the idea of trying expensive wine was enticing, he couldn’t be losing control during something like this. He didn’t think Leedo would harm him but it would be humiliating if he got wine-drunk on their first meeting.

Leedo hummed. “Okay.” He looked up at the server, who was waiting for his word. “No wine today. Water for both of us.”

The server nodded and left the room with the bottle. It was a long moment of silence as they waited to be completely alone again. Dongju wondered if the server would talk to other staff but maybe they saw things like this often. For a second, Dongju wondered if Leedo did this often, how many other people he had depending on him this way.

“You were saying?” Leedo asked as soon as the door closed. “About your limits?”

“I’m really twenty-two,” Dongju said instead. “I celebrated my birthday recently.”

Leedo accepted the change in subject. “This month?”

“Last.” Dongju licked his lips. “But that’s not important just yet, is it?”

There was a beat of silence. “Okay,” Leedo said. “Then let’s talk.”

“What’s first?”

Leedo raised his eyebrows. “That, Xion-ssi, is for you to decide.”

* * *

Dongju had never had the luxury of such an expensive meal in his life and he enjoyed it as much as he thought he would. Leedo encouraged him to eat more but he politely declined, staying with what he’d been served. It was filling enough that he didn’t think he’d eat dinner later. They took their time eating. From what Dongju remembered from his quick search, the restaurant was momentarily closed from 3:00 to 6:00 to prepare for the dinner service but even when the closing time arrived, they remained in the private room, unbothered. Dongju wondered if servers were waiting by the door, trying to eavesdrop. It’d be funny if they were, given all they had talked about.

“How do you prefer to be paid?” Leedo asked, setting down his glass of water. “I assume a direct bank transfer is out of the question.”

“PayPal,” Dongju answered. “Direct transfer is out of the question for now.”

“For now?” Leedo tilted his head and pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, something mischievous reaching his eyes. He was trying not to smile. It was cute. “You’re an interesting person, Xion-ssi.”

“I could say the same about you.”

In the hour and a half that they’d been there, they had spoken about several things. Most of it was about the finer details of their arrangement, particularly about what Dongju would receive.

Leedo asked what kind of brands Dongju liked and Dongju gave his answers, from clothes to technology. He listed brands he was able to afford if he saved for a month or two and brands that he’d never been and will never be able to afford. Leedo seemed to take each one into serious consideration, not batting an eye even when Dongju gave his final one, the one most known for its ridiculous prices. Dongju could ask for anything from any of the brands he listed and if he found new things he liked, all he needed to do was let Leedo know. There really was no worry about money, Leedo reassured more than once. 

Next, Leedo asked Dongju where he’d been on vacation, pointing out the photos uploaded to his profile. Dongju confirmed Leedo’s guesses: Japan and Italy. He visited Japan at least once a year with his family and he’d been lucky enough to spend some weeks in Italy with his friends last summer. He didn’t tell Leedo those details though. Trips were also a possibility, Leedo had told him, and there were little restrictions on where he could go. All Dongju needed to do was make sure he followed whatever travel rules and policies were in place and that all proper documentation needed was up to date. If he wanted to bring friends along, it’d be a little more difficult and it would take a little more time to sort out but Leedo would also pay for them.

“You’re very generous,” Dongju had told him.

“If it makes you happy, then it’s fine, right?”

They had paused momentarily when they’d been served their entrees for lunch, the dishes from their appetizers cleared. And when the server left, the conversation had resumed, picking up from Leedo’s last question. He followed up by asking Dongju what made him happy. Dongju kept some of his answers vague here. He felt happy when he felt pretty and Leedo would be able to ensure that by buying Dongju whatever he wanted. But Dongju also felt happy when his friends and family were. He felt happy when he did well on an assignment. He was happy when he was in his bed and watching one of his favorite movies. He felt happy when he was alone at home, free to yell along to his favorite songs. He doubted Leedo would be able to do anything there.

“Enough about what makes me happy,” Dongju had interrupted. “Tell me what makes _you_ happy, Leedo-ssi.”

Getting to know Leedo proved to be difficult. He clearly didn’t give information away carelessly and what he did say was obviously carefully worded. Leedo liked music but he didn’t say anything specific. He liked being active and he worked out regularly but Dongju would’ve been able to easily infer that from previous interactions. Leedo gave a hint that he graduated from university but said nothing about what he might’ve studied. Dongju’s questions surely caught him off guard.

“What makes me happy?” Leedo had asked back. “It’s very simple, Xion-ssi. If those around me are happy, then I am happy.”

“But more than that… I think there’s something you’re missing,” Dongju had replied. Leedo had raised his eyebrows in question, waiting. “I won’t get any of these by doing nothing.”

“Ah,” Leedo had breathed out. “That’s right.”

Dongju had to know how to play it. It might’ve been his first time doing something like this but Dongju did have experience in related matters. It couldn’t be much different. “So, Leedo-ssi, tell me,” Dongju had said, deliberately folding one forearm over the tabletop and propping the other up, holding his face in his hand. He needed to get something out of Leedo to know how to proceed. “What can _I_ do to make _you_ happy? What would make you happy enough that I can earn these kinds of gifts from you?” 

He was well-aware that his tone was suggestive. Dongju knew Leedo didn’t want sex. He’d made that clear during their first conversation. Dongju wouldn’t give it either — at least, not yet. If the option presented itself in the future, Dongju might have to consider it. Still, Dongju knew he could be very convincing this way. He could feign flirtiness, knowing that his long lashes, flushed cheeks, and gentle smile worked in his favor. He’d won many free drinks for Dongmyeong and free entrances to clubs for Keonhee this way. 

“You know, Ju, I would almost think you’re meant for this kind of thing,” Dongmyeong had said last week. “Scamming rich men out of their money. But you’re too good-natured to really do it.”

Even if his brother and his friends used Dongju to gain what they wanted, it was a privilege he personally didn’t take advantage of often but for Leedo, he’d make a grand exception.

“I won’t ask you for sex,” Leedo had finally said.

He had paused and when the door opened, a server coming with a small cart, Dongju knew why. The server set out their dessert without a word. It was a small custard with a caramel-like syrup layered on top. Dongju moved his hands over his lap to allow the server to clear his dishes and set the dessert in front of him. He bit the inside of his cheek, wondering if Leedo’s words had been heard. Dongju tried not to care what others thought of him but given everything, the staff might have their thoughts.

“Thank you,” Leedo had told the server once he refilled their water. When he left, his attention returned to Dongju. “I won’t ask for sex. That doesn’t interest me.”

Not interested? That couldn’t possibly be it, Dongju thought. And then the next thought hit him: he already has someone for that.

“What makes me happy is this.” Leedo had motioned between them. “You talked to me without little reservations and I got to know you.”

“And when you’ve learned everything about me?”

Leedo looked to the side but Dongju still caught his gentle smile. He turned back to Dongju with amusement in his eyes. “That’ll never happen. There will always be something new to know about you, Xion-ssi.” Leedo tapped his fingers on the table a few times. “So, talk to me. When you’re happy, share your excitement with me. If you’re having a hard time, rely on me. And you’ll get what you want.”

It couldn’t be that easy.

“It really is that easy.” Dongju had almost cursed, thinking he’d spoken out loud, and Leedo smiled again, seeming to pick up on his surprise. He hadn’t spoken out loud. “Your expression makes it easy to see what you’re thinking.”

Dongju ate the dessert happily but Leedo left his untouched for the most part. He said little else about himself and Dongju continued to answer his questions. They weren’t personal questions about his life but questions about his interests. Favorite clothing items and makeup products… Most used items… Places he frequented. And slowly, it had led to that statement from Leedo: _You’re an interesting person, Xion-ssi._

Maybe Dongju hadn’t learned anything real about him but from what he could see, Leedo was just as interesting himself. He was surprisingly straightforward but his tone remained gentle and kind. It wasn’t that he was dense, as Dongju had almost assumed, but he just wasn’t embarrassed by underlying meanings or implications, glossing over suggestive phrases easily. Still, he was timid in other aspects, breaking eye contact and hiding his pleasure behind his hand, not giving Dongju the chance to see him smile unless he deserved it. He was mysterious but by choice and if Dongju had a chance to take a closer look, he was sure he’d be able to pick Leedo apart and find the gaps that led to a treasure trove full of beautiful things. And even though Leedo hadn’t touched much of his dessert these last fifteen minutes, Dongju could see he wanted to dig into it, given the way he glanced down at it every so often and slowly savored the bites he did take. So was he the kind of person who unexpectedly liked sweets? Interesting.

“You don’t know a thing about me, Xion-ssi,” Leedo said, folding his hands across the tabletop. The water in his glass sloshed a little but not enough to spill over the lip. “What could be interesting about me?”

“I know your name is not Leedo, Leedo-ssi,” Dongju answered, setting down his spoon. “I suppose that one is obvious.”

“And your name is not Xion, Xion-ssi,” Leedo replied. There was a bite to it, not mean but innocently mischievous, and Dongju felt thrilled. Leedo could be playful — another thing to add to the list of things he found interesting about Leedo. “You heard it earlier then. Feel free to do your research on me.”

Dongju wouldn’t. He wouldn’t take the name he’d heard and search Leedo up. Even if he’d been granted permission, Dongju wouldn’t invade Leedo’s privacy that way. He wanted to get to know Leedo naturally. “I will,” he said anyway. Leedo was observant and maybe he knew Dongju was bluffing. “My PayPal username is the same as my KaTalk.”

“Easy to remember,” Leedo said. “Thanks for having lunch with me.”

“The first of many,” Dongju replied smoothly. He cleared his throat when he noticed Leedo’s smile. This was the most genuine of all the smiles Leedo had given him all afternoon. “Thank you for treating me.”

“The first of many,” Leedo repeated.

Dongju’s face grew warm and he had to look away.

* * *

Leedo offered to take Dongju home, or at least somewhere close to home, but Dongju declined. Instead of insisting, Leedo had been gracious enough to accept his denial. He had accompanied Dongju to the station, staying by the top of the stairs. Dongju hadn’t spared a glance back as he made his way down but he felt the way Leedo continued to watch him.

Dongju had said he’d message Leedo when he arrived home. It wasn’t a promise and Dongju didn’t need to follow through. The train ride home was quiet, Dongju trying to keep to himself on the crowded subway car, and the walk from the station to the apartment was also silent.

Dongmyeong came out of the kitchen when he unlocked the front door and pushed it open. “Oh, welcome back,” he said. “Good to see you’re alive.”

“Thanks,” Dongju said, toeing off his shoes and stepping into his slippers. With a heavy sigh, he dropped his bag to the side of the door, among the rest of the shoes there. Dongmyeong raised his eyebrows in concern. Before he could question it, Dongju waved him off. “I’m fine.”

“Was he mean or something? What’s with the face?”

Dongju waved him off again, making his way to the couch and laying down. He covered his face with his arm, closing his eyes. Deep inhale, exhale. In, out. When he moved his arm away and opened his eyes, Dongmyeong’s face was hovering over him.

“He wasn’t mean,” Dongju said, reaching up to push Dongmyeong away. “He was great.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Dongju pushed himself up, bringing his legs up and underneath him. “That’s the thing. There was _nothing_ wrong.”

“And that scares you?”

Maybe, Dongju wanted to say. Spending time in the quiet after having spoken to Leedo for over two hours had given Dongju time to process it all. He had signed up for the site not really expecting anything. He hadn’t seriously wanted anything either. Yes, the idea of being taken care of was appealing but at the same time, Giwook had suggested it as a joke. Dongju had looked at each message and replied intending to let each one down once he found such a thing wasn’t for him. He had reconciled with the idea that he would probably delete the account within the week and just pick up more shifts at work to be able to indulge in his interests.

But Leedo was serious about having an arrangement with Dongju and he was willing to guide Dongju through it. Leedo had been thorough in explaining what, when, and how Dongju would receive his gifts. He’d been so genuine and careful. Perhaps being able to lead a new sugar baby into this new world and be their first sugar daddy was something sacred. Was Dongju just disgracing something that already had so many preconceived notions by going into it in this way?

“Yes,” Dongju breathed out.

Dongmyeong came around and sat beside Dongju. On any other occasion, Dongju would shrug him off and complain. Today, he let Dongmyeong wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him against his side. It was comforting. “Well, if he’s a good man, and I assume he is… then, if you want to end it, he’ll respect that.”

Leedo would respect it. He would accept it without complaint. He had laid everything out for Dongju to take advantage of. He’d shown Dongju that he had all the power. Leedo was the one left vulnerable today, offering himself in this way. Whether or not Dongju agreed to continue the arrangement, he would lose nothing. Maybe Leedo would be hurt or maybe he wouldn’t. Dongju remembered how Leedo had smiled at him as they parted at the station. He seemed like a good man.

“It might hurt,” Dongju murmured. Dongmyeong hummed in question, pulling back to look at him, confused. Dongju looked at him. “I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to see where it goes, right?”

Dongmyeong laughed a little, bringing his arm back to give Dongju a small shove. “Don’t get too attached, Ju,” he said, standing from the couch. “Don’t think you can date your sugar daddy or something like that. It’s not going to be a movie.”

“I know that,” Dongju whined, kicking a leg out as Dongmyeong passed by. He barely touched Dongmyeong’s thigh in his attempt. So much for having a bonding moment with Dongmyeong. “It’s not going to be like that. I’m not that delusional.”

Dongmyeong only laughed again, retreating to the kitchen.

Dongju sighed. He wasn’t delusional. He knew it wouldn’t end that way. Dongju wasn’t wanting or hoping it would end that way either. Sure, Leedo was attractive and in any other scenario, Dongju might have seen him romantically, but this was the reality they were in now. Leedo wasn’t looking for romance. He just wanted a more special friend to depend on him. Dongju just wanted to be a little spoiled, as he deserved to be sometimes. They needed nothing more from each other than that.

From his pocket, his phone went off. He fished it out, the home screen lighting up with a few notifications. The first one he saw was from PayPal.

_You received 350,000 won from Lee Do._

The notification underneath it was of an email sent by PayPal, letting him know he had money waiting to be accepted. Dongju swiped the email notification away and tapped on the PayPal one. The app opened and at the top was the blue box with the message, confirming that it was real. Dongju didn’t accept the money right away. Instead, he took a screenshot and navigated to his KakaoTalk chat with Leedo. He sent the screenshot with a question mark.

Leedo replied within seconds. _Good, you got it. Did you get home safely? It’s been nearly an hour. You said you lived half an hour away._

 _I did_ , Dongju replied. The small one beside his message disappeared instantly. Dongju typed a second message. _Why?_

 _The money?_ Leedo asked. _It’s for today. My gift to you. Since I only found out your preferences today, I didn’t have time to prepare anything. So use it well and buy whatever you like._

 _I don’t know what to say_ , Dongju sent back.

_How about “thank you”? kkkkkkkk_

“What…” Dongju muttered. After being so formal with his messages, Leedo was showing that he was capable of _laughing_ through text? The seventh unexpected thing Dongju had learned about Leedo today.

 _Thank you_. The small one didn’t disappear right away and Dongju stared at it until it did.

 _No sending it back to me_ , Leedo wrote. _Accept the money, Xion-ssi._

“Oh,” Dongju breathed out.

He moved back to PayPal and finally accepted the money. His bank account was linked to this new PayPal account, which was a risky move, but Leedo had proven himself trustworthy today. He tapped through the necessary screens and then was left with the confirmation that the money would appear in his bank balance by tomorrow. He took another screenshot, edited it to cover any revealing information, and sent it to Leedo.

 _Thank you again_ , he added.

The one beside his messages disappeared immediately but Leedo didn’t reply right away. It took another minute for a message to come in. Dongju imagined Leedo carefully picking his words, typing and then deleting, retyping until it was up to his standards. The result was a very Leedo-esque question. _Are you happy, Xion-ssi?_

Dongju stalled, considering the question. He didn’t expect to be rewarded for today. Rewarded? Was that the word for it? It was the word that fit best. He was surprised. Leedo hadn’t mentioned giving him anything today. Dongju hadn’t done anything worth 350,000 won. 

_Yes_ , Dongju finally answered.

If he thought about it, he was happy. A part of him felt guilty about giving in and accepting the money so easily but it was meant for him and there was a very pretty satin pajama set he’d been eyeing for a while. He’d planned to save up and buy it next month but with 350,000 won, he’d be able to buy it and still have 130,000 left.

 _I’m happy_ , was what Dongju read next.

Dongju considered telling Leedo what he planned to buy for himself and he could offer to send a photo instead. Leedo wanted things like that, right? Absolutely not, Dongju thought right after. He couldn’t do something like that. He shook his head and read over Leedo’s message a dozen more times.

He was happy just from this?

_I’ll use it wellllll~_

Dongju was well-aware that using a cute tone in texting at his age was probably considered as overdoing it. He used it often with Keonhee, who returned the gesture naturally, and sometimes with Seoho, which resulted in being left on read. He thought Leedo might follow Seoho’s response, given how the one disappeared and no message appeared. His screen turned black and he sighed, falling back against the couch.

 _Isn’t that cute_ , Leedo replied nearly three minutes later, making Dongju jump up. He stilled for a moment and stared at the notification on the lock screen. His entire face grew warm and he hoped Dongmyeong didn’t decide to come back at this moment. A second notification popped up. _Then, don’t overwork yourself, Xion-ssi. Have a good night._

Dongju unlocked his phone and opened the app, thumbs moving over the keyboard quickly. _Good night, Leedo-ssi._

He waited for a moment and even after three, four, five minutes, the message was unread. Dongju had been too late. Did Leedo know he’d caught Dongju off guard? Was he staring at the notification with a smile on his face, proud that he’d managed to fluster him? Dongju scowled. That wasn’t acceptable at all. 

_I’m buying a pajama set with the money. It’s pink satin. Comes with an eye mask and all._

Within a second, both messages were read. Dongju got him.

_Send me photos._

Dongju bit down on his bottom lip to keep himself from smiling. _Will do. Good night~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: the first messages Geonhak and Dongju sent to each other were totally ripped off from my experience LOL 
> 
> Everything is only slightly edited - I’m sorry for any mistakes I might’ve left. Thank you for reading! All comments and kudos are appreciated :D
> 
> Stay happy, healthy, and hydrated <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be posted on Valentine’s Day so… my bad.
> 
> Anyway, today is March 3rd for me and March 3rd is Writers' Day so a very happy Writers' Day to all the lovely writers of this fandom.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left so many kind words on the first chapter. I sincerely appreciate them! Hopefully, I can write and update more frequently soon!

The morning after meeting Leedo for the first time, Dongju saw the PayPal transfer completed in his bank account. There was a notification telling him the new amount in his account by 8 AM. He didn’t clear it out the entire morning, too busy doing last-minute studying. It was the second to last week of the semester and each class was reviewing material for finals next week, leaving him no time to relax. His phone seemed to weigh heavier in the pocket of his jacket as he walked onto campus and the notification continued to linger in his mind as he sat in a cold lecture hall, trying to focus on the questions being asked. Even after he’d finished reviewing for the day hours later and turned his phone back on, the notification remained, waiting.

Only when he was leaving campus, the burden of studying off his shoulders for the day, did he tap on the notification. He logged into his account and just stared at his screen for a minute. He wondered if the bank would find it suspicious but then he remembered that Leedo had agreed to buy him gifts directly instead of sending him money. This was a one-time kind of thing. It wasn’t too suspicious.

He moved to KakaoTalk, opening his chat with Leedo. There weren’t any new messages after the last one Dongju sent last night. The small number one beside it was gone so Leedo had seen it sometime between then and now. It was nearly four in the afternoon and he hadn’t received anything new. Would Leedo be working right now? 

_Are you busy right now?_ Dongju typed out, not thinking much before hitting the send button.

Leedo replied immediately. _I can talk._

_Good. I’m going shopping right now._

Dongju had nearly decided to order his pajama set online but he was too excited to get it. He wanted it immediately and even though he could pay a bit extra for next-day delivery, he wanted to step inside the store himself. He was sure he’d look out of place but he wouldn’t have an opportunity like this in the future.

_Where?_

_Lotte World_ , Dongju replied.

 _I’m in Apgujeong_ , was Leedo’s answer.

 _Okay_ , Dongju wrote, _Are you asking me something here?_

_Not at all. Tell me how your day went._

Dongju waited for the train quietly, typing away at his phone. His day wasn’t particularly interesting. He spent his time in class reviewing and met with Dongmyeong for a late lunch before finishing off the review questions one of his professors had given out. He told Leedo all of it, without mentioning Dongmyeong. Leedo asked a few questions about his courses for the semester but nothing that seemed like he was trying to find out what school Dongju was attending. He made some comments on the classes Dongju was taking, seeming to lament on his own days of university. Dongju was tempted to ask and finally confirm that Leedo had gone and graduated from university but he held onto the question. Instead, he asked about what Leedo had told him at the start of the conversation.

 _What are you doing in Apgujeong?_ Dongju asked once he was settled into a seat on the train. 

_Same thing you’re going to do at Lotte World_ , Leedo replied.

_Shopping? I didn’t take you for the type to do your own shopping, Leedo-ssi._

_Ha, what type did you take me for?_ As Dongju typed out his answer, Leedo sent another message: _I’m not shopping for myself, by the way._

Dongju took a moment to delete the response he’d prepared and write a new one. _Just the type that gets their shopping done for them. Has personal fittings at your luxurious penthouse maybe. Shopping for a friend then?_

 _Penthouse? I think you’re overestimating me._ Leedo sent a second message within a second. _Yes, shopping for a friend. Not sure what he’d like though._

Was Leedo talking about him or was he really shopping for a friend? The message came off teasing but not enough that it was obvious. Dongju didn’t know and he didn’t want to be embarrassed if he said something and was wrong. It was better if he moved past that one.

_I’m sure you’re just being very humble._

Leedo didn’t answer for a while. It was long enough that Dongju slipped his phone into his jacket pocket and fell back in his seat with a sigh. Lotte was on the way home which is why he’d decided to go there and for a moment, he considered changing course. If he showed up in Apgujeong and told Leedo, would they meet again? It was likely the reason Leedo told Dongju at all.

From the university campus to Lotte World, it was about an hour-long trip through the metro. If he went to Apgujeong instead, it would only take longer and he still had to go work in a few hours. And he’d also just met Leedo for the first time yesterday. Would it be too much? Possibly. Dongju wondered if Leedo wanted to see him again already and the thought had him biting down on his bottom lip to hold back a smile.

He wouldn’t go to Apgujeong. He couldn’t.

Leedo didn’t send a message for the rest of Dongju’s trip and even when Dongju had gotten off and left the platform, there weren’t any new messages. The station was connected to the few Lotte businesses around and Dongju maneuvered his way through, squeezing past strangers holding shopping bags. He grasped his phone in his pocket, feeling a vibration, but he didn't pull it out. 

He reached the entrance to the main basement shopping floor with a handful of strangers, noticing that he didn’t stand out as much in a crowd this size. He stepped to the side to avoid bumping into someone and pulled his phone out.

 _I was caught up for a moment. Did you arrive safely?_ The next message that came in as he read the first caught Dongju off guard more than the first. _And where in Lotte World are you shopping? Avenue L?_

 _Just the department store_ , Dongju answered. _You can’t possibly be here right now._

Leedo’s reply came immediately. _If I am? You have the same bag from yesterday, right?_

Dongju looked up from his phone and looked around. He was still by the entrance, right where the large food court was, standing by some empty tables opposite a coffee place. There were plenty of other tables occupied by distracted people but none of them were Leedo. Dongju looked out through back down the wide hall he’d come through at everyone coming in but didn’t find Leedo so he looked further into the food court. His phone went off again and Dongju cursed under his breath as he read the message.

_You looked, didn’t you?_

_I didn’t_ , Dongju replied. 

_Sure you didn’t._

With a huff, Dongju pocketed his phone and went further in. It was fairly busy for a Thursday afternoon but Dongju kept to himself as best as he could without bumping into anymore, focused on getting what he needed and leaving. He didn’t come into this section as much as he went into other parts of the main mall but he was a bit familiar with the layout. With some help from the posted signs, he made his way up the floors. He noticed that there were fewer people the higher he went and that the types of stores on each floor slowly changed.

 _Did you find what you’re looking for yet?_ Leedo sent as Dongju stepped onto the escalator to go up another floor.

 _You know, I have never been on some of these floors_ , Dongju replied instead of answering the question.

He looked up from his phone as he neared the top. He stepped off the escalator and glanced around. It was rather empty and he counted about three people, not including the few sales associates he spotted. He found the elevators and looked at the sign near them, confirming he was on the right floor. His phone went off and he checked it before leaving the elevator area.

 _What brand are you looking for?_

Dongju replied with the name and put his phone away. He walked around for a few minutes, looking at the different things available. He was interested in some items but even glancing at the brand was enough to make him turn away. He went around in a near full-circle before he found what he was looking for. Stepping into the section, he looked around at the other items available. These were pricey but still more within his range than anything else he’d seen. The section for this particular brand was rather small so he found the men’s sleepwear easily. There were three sleepwear options available and three mannequins were dressed in the complete sets beside the display where each item was folded.

He tentatively reached out to feel the silk one on the mannequin. It was thin and smooth between his thumb and pointer finger. The minty color was pretty and he was tempted to get this one instead of the pink satin he’d decided on. The entire sleeve seemed to shimmer as he moved the end of it between his fingers. His phone went off again and he let go of the shirt sleeve to look at the message.

_Will you need more money for the pajamas?_

Dongju looked back at the mint pajamas, reading the price of the tag. It was… a large number but still less than what he’d received from Leedo. He looked back at his phone screen. _No, you gave me more than enough._

Leedo didn’t answer right away so Dongju looked at the next option. It was the one he’d seen online. It was a rose blush silk and like the mint one, the white light from the fixtures above made the fabric look like it was shimmering. The satin was also soft between his fingertips but he could feel the slight difference compared to the silk pajamas. The third option was also satin but the color was gray.

Dongju found his size and carefully grabbed the top and bottom of the set from the display, feeling how cool the fabric was in his hands. He checked the tags and saw that they were actually a bit cheaper than he’d seen online. At the top of the display were the eyemasks that accompanied the set and he took the matching rose blush one. The padding was thick enough that it seemed it could block out light and it was lined with the same satin material as the pajamas.

He approached the register with the three items and set them on the counter. The sales associate greeted him and gave him a soft smile before she reached for something underneath the counter. She brought up three thin white boxes in different sizes, stacking them to the side. 

“These are an excellent choice, sir,” she said as she rang everything up. “The total is going to be 215,000 won. Will you be paying with cash or card today?”

“Card,” Dongju murmured, pulling his wallet out. He held the edge of his card in between his fingers of both hands, offering it to her silently.

She mimicked his actions, grabbing onto the opposite edge with both hands, and swiped it. There was a small beep and with a soft smile, she gave it back to him and turned a small number pad in his direction. As Dongju punched in his pin, she set out the three boxes side by side.

Dongju smiled politely and put away his card, keeping his eyes on her hands. It took a couple of minutes as she carefully folded and unfolded the top and bottom. She put them in separate boxes, each one lined with a white wrapping paper that she pulled over the top before securing it with a sticker. She took the sleep mask and put it in the smallest box, also lined with wrapping paper. All three boxes were put into a large bag and she slid it across the counter to him.

“Thank you, sir. Have a nice day,” she said, tearing the receipt off from the small printer and handing it over, head bowed again.

“Thank you,” Dongju replied, taking the receipt and reaching for the bag. He gave her a small smile and nod before he walked away from the register.

The bag in his hand was a bit heavy. It’d been a long time since Dongju spent this much money on something for himself. He knew that it didn’t affect his bank account thanks to the money Leedo had sent him but it still would take him off guard later on when he looked at the transaction in his account summary. Not wanting to feel guilty about treating himself, he pulled out his phone.

He stopped by the elevators again but he pushed the button to go down this time. As he waited, he stood to the side and held out his arm just enough to take a photo of the bag. He opened his chat with Leedo and sent the photo. After it was sent, he typed out a short message.

_Got it._

The message was read right away. _Show me later._

There was no ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ to it. Just a straightforward request. Before Dongju could answer, the sound of the elevator arriving took his attention away from his phone. The doors opened and he stepped inside, pushing the button for the basement. A couple of people got on as the elevator went down and Dongju put his phone away, not wanting the person beside him to see anything on his screen.

Dongju didn’t check his phone after he got off the elevator and made his way to the platform, and he wasn’t able to when he was seated on the crowded train. Only when he was walking down the quiet street to the apartment complex did he fish out his phone and answer.

_Later tonight._

* * *

Dongju returned from work a bit late but when he entered the apartment, the lights were still on. He left his things by the door and went further in. It was quiet in the main room except for some humming.

He found Giwook sitting at his computer, headphones on. From what Dongju saw on his monitor, he was working. He only waved in Giwook’s direction, receiving a small smile and wave back. He heard Dongmyeong in the kitchen and when Dongju peeked in, Dongmyeong spotted him and quietly motioned for him to come in.

“How was work?” Dongmyeong asked, moving to stand in front of the stove.

Dongju noticed the kitchen was in a bit of disarray and he wondered which one of them would have to clean it all up. He held back on complaining for a moment, distracted by the smell of whatever Dongmyeong was preparing. When he went to stand beside him, he saw Dongmyeong putting dried bundles of convenience store ramyeon into a red, boiling broth in a small pot. On the counter in front of Dongju, just beside the stove, was a small bowl with tteokbokki that was already prepared. He picked up the chopsticks beside the bowl and swiped one piece up, eating it before Dongmyeong could say anything.

“Work was fine,” he said, chewing on the tteokbokki. Dongmyeong sent him a look but he ignored it, taking the chance to grab another. “I’m glad I didn’t have to close tonight.”

Dongmyeong reached for the bowl of tteokbokki and moved it away from Dongju. “Who was closing then?”

“Seoho hyung,” Dongju replied, setting the chopsticks down and turning around to lean back against the counter. “Keonhee hyung stopped by before I left though so he wasn't alone.”

“Hm, isn’t that interesting,” Dongmyeong murmured.

Dongju hummed, watching Dongmyeong stir the noodles in the pot.

“Slow day then?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Dongju breathed out. He pushed himself away from the counter and crossed across the small space to the refrigerator. He pulled out one of the juice bottles their mom had gifted them a while ago, taking a few sips before going back to his spot against the counter. Dongmyeong was mixing the tteokbokki into the ramyeon now. Dongju sighed and Dongmyeong side-eyed him. “You know, about earlier…”

“I saw that bag you had,” Dongmyeong interrupted, his attention on mixing everything in the small pot. “I didn't know you shopped there.”

“I don’t,” Dongju answered. He cleared his throat. “Not until today.”

“Is that why you said you couldn’t come home with us earlier?”

“I had to study, you know that.”

Dongmyeong hummed again, unconvinced. Dongju knew Dongmyeong wasn’t picking a fight but he couldn’t help but feel like it was a confrontation. From the way Dongmyeong had his eyebrows raised and his lips pinched, Dongju knew there was something he wasn’t saying, something he was keeping himself from saying.

“If it’s about the—”

Dongmyeong sighed, setting down the chopsticks and turning his body toward Dongju. “It’s not about not coming back with me, and it’s not about money, what you bought, or whatever,” he said, holding his hand up to keep Dongju from interrupting. “But, Dongju, the least you could’ve done was _tell_ me you were going with him. You were gone for hours. If something had happened to you—”

“Nothing would’ve happened to me,” Dongju said, taking a step toward Dongmyeong and placing a hand on each of his shoulders. Dongmyeong rolled his eyes and tried to shrug him off but Dongju held on tighter. “Because I wasn’t with anyone. Myeong, I went alone.”

“Alone?” Dongju nodded, finally dropping his hands down to his sides, and Dongmyeong looked at him for a minute, eyes narrowed. Finally, he pushed Dongju’s shoulder, making him stumble back. He returned to stirring everything in the pot. “Then you definitely should’ve told someone! If you were with him, at least we’d have a suspect.” 

Dongju laughed, punching Dongmyeong’s shoulder and laughing a bit harder when Dongmyeong complained. “Leedo wouldn’t do anything to me,” he said, taking his place beside Dongmyeong again. He picked up the chopsticks again, watching and waiting for the perfect moment to steal from the pot. “He could barely look at my face yesterday.”

“Leedo, huh?” Dongmyeong asked. Dongju stilled for a moment, realizing he hadn’t told Dongmyeong Leedo’s name this entire time, but Dongmyeong made no more comments about it, moving on to the next thing. “Timid type then?”

“A bit shy, yeah,” Dongju murmured, remembering how frequently Leedo had looked away when he smiled and laughed. He shook his head and laughed under his breath. After a few seconds, Dongju looked at Dongmyeong, surprised to see him staring. Dongju huffed, pushing him aside. “What? Don’t stare at me like that. It makes you look weird.”

Dongmyeong made an indignant sound and pouted for a couple of seconds, only stopping when Dongju tried to reach for another tteokbokki inside the pot. “Hey!” he exclaimed, nearly shielding it with his entire upper body. Dongju backed off, taking his turn to pout. “Don’t try to eat food that isn’t yours.”

“You’re not going to eat all of it yourself. I know you made it for all of us.”

“What else about him did you find out?”

“He’s rich,” Dongju said.

“That’s obvious.” Dongmyeong finally turned the stove off. He took the oven mitts and grabbed the pot by the handles, carrying it out of the room. “Tell me something else.”

Dongju followed behind him. “He’s twenty-four,” he offered.

“Oh, wow. Isn’t that young,” Dongmyeong said.

They reached the main room but instead of putting the small pot on the dining table, Dongmyeong moved to the low coffee table. The trivet they used for hot dishes was already there and Dongmyeong placed the pot there. Dongju sat on the couch as Dongmyeong rearranged the small table.

“What is he then? Chaebol or something?” Before Dongju could answer, Dongmyeong went back to the kitchen. He returned a moment later with shallow bowls, chopsticks, and cans of beer. “So?”

“He didn’t say,” Dongju said after a long minute. He got off the couch and situated himself by the table, taking one of the bowls and the chopsticks Dongmyeong offered him. He eyed the offered beer can, taking it eventually. He’d have one and then switch to water. “Even his profile just said ‘business’.”

“Definitely an heir to something,” Dongmyeong murmured. He straightened up and clapped his hands together. “Let me get Giwook.”

Giwook hadn’t heard a thing since they’d entered the main room, completely focused on his work. Dongju didn’t look in Giwook’s direction and when he did, he saw Dongmyeong standing behind him, arms loosely wrapped around Giwook’s neck from behind. Giwook seemed to be shrugging him off.

“Dongju hyung is—” Giwook stopped talking and Dongju saw Dongmyeong lean in and his hushed voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying. Whatever he said made Giwook laugh softly. Dongju realized what was happening too late and just barely looked away as Dongmyeong pressed a kiss to Giwook’s temple. “Hyung… stop it…”

Dongju kept his eyes on the food, waiting. He could hear Dongmyeong and Giwook speaking quietly but he tuned it out. Dongmyeong and Giwook weren’t extremely affectionate in front of Dongju but it was still awkward for Dongju when he did see them. It felt like he was intruding on a private moment. 

After another moment, Giwook and Dongmyeong appeared in his line of sight and sat on opposite ends of the table. Dongju did not comment on what he’d seen, knowing Giwook would be a bit embarrassed if he mentioned it. Dongmyeong reached for something and then the TV turned on. He pointed the remote in his hand toward it and flipped through some channels before he settled on one with a drama re-run.

He set the remote aside and reached for his chopsticks, being the first to reach into the pot. He held his bowl by the pot. “Thank you for the meal,” he sang as he served himself.

Giwook and Dongju followed Dongmyeong’s lead. As Dongju took his first bites, he looked at the TV.

Dongmyeong also looked toward the TV. “Oh? Isn’t this that one… with the…”

Soon enough, they were moving between watching the drama and speaking about it or something completely unrelated to it. On nights like these, it was easy for Dongju to be able to push aside everything else for a moment, enjoying this small amount of free time he had to relax and not worry about his responsibilities.

* * *

It was nearly midnight when Dongju finally made it out of the main room. Despite his decision to keep the alcohol to a minimum, Dongmyeong had insisted Dongju have at least two cans of beer, which had led to Dongju agreeing to three and then four, and that was more than enough to get Dongju’s face to flush red and make him feel a bit lighter, easily swaying this way and that. It didn’t help that Dongmyeong had bought the brand with notably high alcohol content.

Thankfully, it hadn’t been him who ended up cleaning up. Dongmyeong had offered, sending Dongju to wash up. When Dongju had arrived from the store earlier in the day, he had taken most of his free time before work to carefully wash his new pajamas and they’d been drying in his room since then. He collected the pajamas and locked himself in the bathroom, turning on the shower and adjusting the temperature.

He took his time, sobering up a little under the spray of the water. It was quiet so he filled the silence with a hum before he warmed up into singing softly as best as he could. It wasn’t anything he distinctly recognized but it was familiar, likely a song he unknowingly picked up on from the music played at the shop. He washed and rinsed his hair, keeping his eyes closed, calm as the water rushed across his face. He washed his body slowly, almost stretching as he ran his washcloth down his arms and across his chest.

Only when the water was beginning to go cold and his fingertips were pruning did he hurry to rinse and get out. He dried himself off and did his best to towel dry his hair before changing into the pajamas. The satin was cool against his body. It was light and smooth. He admired himself in the mirror for a while, enjoying how the pink looked in combination with his pale skin. 

His face was still a bit flushed but after he went through his routine, it seemed to go away, for the most part, just turning into a light blush across his cheeks. As he looked at himself in the mirror, he remembered how he’d told Leedo he’d send some photos of the pajamas. Dongju noticed how much redder his cheeks looked after the thought and he turned away, unable to see himself reflected that way. He could feel the warmth in his face, moving up to the tips of his ears and down his neck, settling across his chest.

He waited for the warmth to go away before he left the bathroom. He stopped at his bedroom door and looked into the main room, seeing Giwook at his computer again but this time with Dongmyeong beside him, Giwook’s headphones over his ears, nodding along to something Dongju couldn’t hear. Dongmyeong spotted Dongju and waved.

“Night, Dongju,” he said, voice a little too loud. “I like the pajamas.”

Giwook looked over his shoulder, smiling when he spotted Dongju. “Oh, hyung, those look comfy,” he said. “Good night.”

Dongju waved one hand, turning the doorknob with the other. “Good night,” he said as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

He closed the door behind him quietly and moved to his bed, grabbing his phone. He had a couple of minutes until midnight and he wondered if Leedo was even awake at this hour. Dongju opened the chat and sent a message anyway.

_Are you awake?_

Leedo didn’t answer, not even after a few minutes, and Dongju nearly sighed in relief. He dropped his phone on his bed and got off, deciding to tidy up a little. He fixed his desk and put away some clothes. He caught sight of himself in the full-length mirror he had beside his closet door. The lighting in his bedroom wasn’t as bright as it was in the bathroom but the pajamas still looked very pretty.

He ran his hands down his arms and across his collarbones, loving how luxurious the satin felt underneath his palms. He really wouldn’t be able to thank Leedo enough for it. There was a part of Dongju that was overjoyed and completely taken by the fact that this could be a regular occurrence, that this _would_ be a regular occurrence. Leedo had all but offered Dongju the world, making it seem like it was at his fingertips, and the line Dongju would begin to toe was dangerous. But the sensible part of Dongju would always know better, or so he hoped. He wasn’t entirely vain or materialistic, not the kind to be very easily swayed by the opportunity to gain more. Dongju would take what he was given and what Leedo thought he deserved. He wouldn’t take advantage of Leedo’s generosity to fulfill his most extravagant desires. He could never do that.

This was already more than enough, he thought. The money from his last two paychecks that he’d put into saving for the pajamas could go somewhere more useful. Putting more money than usual into his emergency savings always made Dongju feel more at ease.

The muffled KakaoTalk notification took his attention away. Dongju turned away from his mirror and crossed his room, reaching for his phone. He sat on his bed, legs crossed, and unlocked his phone. The chat with Leedo was already open and Dongju saw his message right away.

_Long night?_

Dongju laughed, hiding his mouth behind his hand despite being alone. _Were you asleep?_ he typed out instead of answering the question.

 _Not at all_ , Leedo replied. _Were you?_

_No, I stayed up drinking with my brother and BIL. Are you sure you weren’t sleeping? You took a while to answer._

Only after Dongju sent the message did he realize what he’d sent. It was too much. He’d given away too much. Leedo read the message but didn’t answer right away. Dongju kept his hand over his mouth and cursed under his breath. When another minute passed, Dongju had started to bite at his fingernails, just staring at the screen and waiting for something.

 _You have a younger sister?_ Leedo sent.

 _I don’t_ , Dongju replied. It wasn’t what he expected Leedo to ask but it also wasn’t bad.

 _I wasn’t sleeping_ , was Leedo’s next message. Dongju was grateful he moved on and didn’t ask more about Dongju’s family. He was sure Leedo could connect the dots on his own. _Do the pajamas fit?_

Instead of answering, Dongju got off his bed and went to his desk, turning on the small lamp he had. He usually avoided taking selfies in his room given the lighting but if he moved his desk lamp to the right spot, he could get a decent picture. He opened the camera function and switched to the front camera. Just as he was about to take the photo, he remembered the mask.

He set down the phone and went to get it, standing in front of his mirror for a moment to adjust it on his head and fix his hair. He returned to his desk and finally took some selfies. He looked through for the best one and found one where he didn’t look extremely flushed and his hair was in place.

He sent it to Leedo. _The sleep mask fits well_ , he wrote along with it.

_Very pretty. And the actual pajamas?_

Dongju stood up again, taking his phone with him. He moved in front of the full-length mirror and hummed, thinking about how he’d show off the pajamas. He opened the camera on his phone again and held it in front of his face while pointing it at the mirror and looking at himself through the screen. It was okay, he thought. He held up his hand beside his head, making a peace sign, and took a few pictures. 

He sat on the floor in front of the mirror to find one that looked good. When he decided on one, he sent it to Leedo. _Fits perfect._

_Send me one with your face in it._

His face? Dongju tilted his head and reread the message a couple more times. Was having his face in the photo necessary? Probably not but Dongju would do as he was asked.

There was no need to show the entirety of himself in this one so he stayed on the floor, only scooting closer to the mirror, holding his phone up beside his face. He did a peace sign again, doing his best to give a winking expression, and then switched to cupping the side of his face, keeping the same expression.

It took a bit longer to find one that he liked and he wasn’t sure why he was much more nervous about this one. He ended up choosing one where he was cupping his face and there was a hint of a smile. The lighting was still a bit off but it was the most decent of them all. He hesitated for a moment before he sent it to Leedo.

 _Beautiful_ , Leedo replied. It was almost instantaneous. Dongju read the single word over and over again, feeling the same warmth as earlier crawl up his neck and spread across his cheeks. _The pajamas, I mean._

 _Of course,_ Dongju sent back. _The pajamas._

 _That’s not to say you aren’t beautiful_ , was the next message.

Dongju laughed loudly, throwing his head back, hand hovering over his mouth. The heat across his face got stronger and when he looked at himself in the mirror, he was blushing like crazy, from his chest to the tips of his ears. Dongju liked receiving compliments but this way of going about it was new. Leedo was much shyer than Dongju thought he was yesterday.

 _In my eyes, you’re very beautiful_ , Leedo sent right after. A third message appeared and it made Dongju laugh again. _I mean, in most people’s eyes probably, you’re very beautiful._

 _Thanks_ , Dongju replied, keeping it informal. _For the compliment and the pajamas._

 _The pajamas… it’s nothing._ He waited for another message from Leedo but nothing came.

It was the perfect time to poke some fun at him. _And the compliment? Is that also nothing?_

_What are you talking about? Those words were sincere._

Dongju wanted to see Leedo say it himself, or at least hear the words in his voice. He wanted to hear him say it himself. Texts were one thing but Dongju always did prefer phone calls. There was so much more he could pick up on through hearing someone speak directly.

 _Call me_ , he said.

A moment later, Leedo’s contact appeared across his screen. Dongju hit the answer button and put the phone to his ear. “Hello?” he said softly.

“Xion-ssi, hello,” Leedo said back. His voice was low and he sounded relaxed. Dongju imagined him in a half-lit room, dressed and ready for bed. “Is there a reason for this request?”

“You give in too easily, Leedo-ssi,” Dongju said instead. He hadn’t expected Leedo to call him. He half-expected Leedo to make an excuse and send Dongju to bed. But Leedo hadn’t done that. He’d given Dongju what he asked for without a second thought. “Don’t you think so?”

Leedo laughed quietly. It seemed further away like he’d pulled the phone away from himself, and Dongju nearly asked for him to laugh again but to let him hear it. He didn’t think Leedo would deny this request but Dongju kept to himself, taking what he could hear. A long sigh came from Leedo as he stopped laughing.

“I don’t think so,” he said. There was something more he wanted to say and Dongju held his breath, waiting, but it didn’t come. Dongju heard what sounded like Leedo shifting around. “Are you going to bed now, Xion-ssi?”

“In a moment,” Dongju replied. He licked his lips, briefly meeting his own eyes in the mirror. He remembered why he asked Leedo to call in the first place. “First, I want… I…”

“What do you want?” Leedo asked. Dongju inhaled sharply and then covered his mouth, hoping Leedo hadn’t heard. His tone was soft and Dongju couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of expression Leedo was wearing now. “Tell me.”

“I want…” Dongju cleared his throat. There was no way he’d be able to ask Leedo to compliment him again. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

That wasn’t any better, Dongju thought. He got up from the floor, knowing that if he looked at himself, he’d be all flushed again. He made his way to his bed and sat on the edge, waiting for Leedo to say something but all he heard was Leedo’s shallow breathing. 

“Nothing in particular that you might want me to say?” Leedo finally asked.

Dongju had been caught. Leedo was giving him a chance to ask for what he really wanted. “No,” Dongju murmured. “Just… say anything.”

“Then how about… ‘I want to see you again’?” Leedo asked. The way he’d said it was shy, his voice a bit higher than it was supposed to be, and he let out a short, nervous laugh afterward. He was clearly embarrassed. “Is that okay?”

Dongju made a small sound in the back of his throat, surprised by the admission, pulling the phone away from his ear and covering his mouth. He could hear Leedo talking but he didn’t bring the phone back until he gathered himself again, just catching the end of what Leedo was saying.

“—when I’ll come back, so I won’t be able to see you. The university semester is ending soon, right?”

Though he hadn’t heard everything, Dongju gathered all he needed to from what he heard. Leedo was leaving for a while? Dongju breathed out deeply. “Yeah,” he said, “Finals are next week.”

“Ah… Then the week after that. Do you have anything scheduled for then?”

Dongju thought about it. He usually had longer shifts than usual on Saturdays so he never made plans on that day. He promised Keonhee he’d help move his things to Seoho’s apartment on Sunday and it’d probably take all day. He’d be going back home with Dongmyeong, and Giwook on the 15th and staying there for a few days.

“Monday and Tuesday,” Dongju answered.

“Monday is a little…” Leedo sighed. He hummed and Dongju waited, closing his eyes and listening to Leedo’s breathing for a moment. When he spoke again, Dongju opened his eyes, readjusting to the light in his room. “Then on Tuesday, the 14th. Don’t plan anything for then, okay?”

“Okay,” Dongju said. “Just tell me the details.”

“I’ll take care of everything and let you know. Will you go to sleep now?”

Dongju was tempted to tease Leedo, maybe keep them both up a little longer, but with the beers he’d had, he was more tired than usual. “Yes,” he murmured.

“Good.” Dongju thought he could hear the smile on Leedo’s face. “I’ll hang up first then. Sleep well, Xion-ssi.”

Dongju hummed, falling back on his bed and closing his eyes. “Good night, Leedo-ssi,” he whispered, wondering if he could even be heard. He waited for the call to end but even after a minute, Leedo remained on the line. Dongju smiled, eyes still closed. “Leedo-ssi?”

“Hm?”

“You’re still here.” Dongju turned onto his side, his phone pressed between his pillow and the side of his face. “You said you’d hang up first.”

“In a moment,” Leedo answered, keeping his voice quiet as well. Dongju could feel himself falling asleep, Leedo’s even breathing almost lulling him to sleep through the phone. He wasn’t sure how many minutes passed before Leedo spoke again. “Just so you know, I do sincerely think you’re beautiful. Good night, Xion-ssi.”

Dongju laughed in his half-asleep state, murmuring a quiet thank you. He heard Leedo laugh as well and then the call ended. Dongju woke himself up enough to set his phone on his desk and properly get under the covers. He fell asleep easily, imagining the rise and fall of a chest, and gentle breathing putting him to sleep.

* * *

Leedo and Dongju talked in between their responsibilities. Dongju spent the weekend working and studying for his upcoming finals, sending Leedo whatever came to his mind when he needed to distract himself. He’d also taken a few pictures and sent them to Leedo — the cloudy sky on his way to work, what he had for lunch, the difficult problem he couldn’t figure out in his review packet — and Leedo seemed to enjoy receiving them.

On Saturday, Seoho’s shift at the shop overlapped with Dongju’s shift again and he very quickly picked up on how much time Dongju was spending on his phone when it was slow and during his breaks. Dongju ignored the few teasing comments he made, only directing halfhearted glares towards him, which sent him laughing. 

Dongju complained a lot over the weekend but Leedo provided sincere encouragement, which made Dongju feel a bit better. At times Leedo didn’t answer right away but when Dongju left his phone alone for a while, he would return and find a reply waiting for him. As the week started and Dongju prepared for his final exams, they had less time to talk but Leedo always sent the first message, asking Dongju if he’d eaten or taken a break.

It was easy to talk to Leedo throughout the week. Dongju could say whatever he wanted and Leedo would reply, giving in to whatever conversation Dongju wanted to have. Dongju gained the confidence to joke a bit more often and though Leedo didn’t always reciprocate or fall into Dongju’s traps, he allowed Dongju to poke, prod, and tease as much as he liked.

He was almost convinced Leedo enjoyed it. Though they didn’t have much time for phone calls, Dongju was able to pinpoint the interest in Leedo’s voice when Dongju was playing around with him, recognizing a certain lilt in his tone that Dongju picked up on quickly after the first few times.

Before Dongju knew it, a week had passed since they first met in person and nearly a week and a half since the first messages were exchanged. Leedo had been busy that day and Dongju tried not to think about it too much. He sent Leedo a few photos — a picture of his morning Americano, one of the yellow tulips from a salon he passed by every day, a photo of him studying in the library before one of his finals, and a photo of his lunch, provided by Seoho (though he didn’t mention Seoho at all in the accompanying message). By the time Dongju was home, Leedo had read all the messages but hadn’t answered. Only when Dongju finished eating dinner and gathered his study materials for the night did Leedo say something.

_Sorry for not answering. I enjoyed the photos. It looks like you had a good day._

_I did_ , Dongju answered, postponing his studying for a few minutes more. He was tempted to tell Leedo he missed him but wasn’t sure how Leedo would react to that. Leedo had easily and quickly become a part of Dongju’s days and without the exchange of messages throughout the day, it felt like something important was missing. _How was yours?_

 _Busy_ , Leedo replied. _Work stuff._

_Anything you can share?_

In the week they’d been talking, Leedo mentioned work but never went into specifics. It left Dongju dying of curiosity but he never asked explicitly. If Leedo didn’t offer details, it was for a reason.

_Just about the overseas project. Figuring out deadlines, meetings… nothing especially interesting._

Ah, the overseas project. Leedo had shared some information about this, however, or as much as he could. He would be in the United States for a while but no mention of where in the States, not that Dongju was extremely familiar with places there anyway. It was a large project, the largest Leedo had ever done, and it was important. All the more reason why Dongju was curious about his job.

 _You know, I’m curious about something_ , Dongju sent back.

 _Enough about that._ Leedo did this often with things he didn’t want to talk about, which was almost always when the topic of his work came up, and Dongju accepted it without question. _Is there anything you wanted for this week?_

_You don’t have to get me something every week._

_I want to_ , Leedo answered. _So let me._

 _I want to see your face_ , Dongju replied.

It wasn’t a lie. Leedo didn’t directly ask Dongju for selfies yet Dongju sent them anyway, knowing that Leedo enjoyed receiving them though he didn’t voice it and it was an unspoken thing that had naturally become part of their agreement. Leedo didn’t have to reciprocate at all given what his role in this was but Dongju would like to sometimes have a glimpse into Leedo’s day beyond the messages he sent.

_Xion-ssi, that’s a bit…_

Dongju pushed his chair away from his desk, thumbs moving across his phone’s keyboard quickly. _Sorry. Is that something I’m not allowed to ask for?_

_Give me a second._

About six minutes passed before Dongju’s phone lit up with a notification. Dongju opened the chat again and a selfie of Leedo was there. Leedo was dressed for work but there was no tie around his neck and the topmost buttons on his shirt were undone, showing he was done for the day. The wall behind him was blank and the light source seemed to come from somewhere on Leedo’s right, bright and white. He might have still been at his workplace.

Leedo’s hair was pushed back with only a few strands out of place. His head was tilted a bit down and away from the camera, and his expression mostly blank with just barely a hint of a smile on his lips. Handsome, Dongju thought, so very handsome.

 _You can ask for anything you want, Xion-ssi_ , was the message that accompanied the photo.

 _I saved you whatever money you were thinking of spending on me just now_ , Dongju replied, hoping that Leedo would take the joke. Dongju could give compliments easily and when it came to people who got flustered easily, he doubly enjoyed it, but he couldn’t do that with Leedo yet. Still, his message seemed a bit too unappreciative alone so Dongju sent something else after. _Thank you for the gift. I like it~_

_You know the money isn’t an issue. As long as you’re happy. It’s what we agreed upon._

Dongju hummed to himself. Yes, it was what they agreed upon but… _Have I done something this week to earn a gift?_

 _Yes_ , Leedo answered.

 _What?_ Dongju pulled his bottom lip between his teeth.

_That’s for me to know. Don’t worry about what you did or didn’t do, Xion-ssi. If I tell you, I worry you’ll change and then you won’t be the real Xion I first met anymore._

Oh? This was interesting. Of course in Leedo’s eyes, Dongju wasn’t Dongju but Xion, but the false persona he showed Leedo wasn’t any different from who he was in reality. Did Leedo think Xion was kind? Funny, pretty? What had it been about Xion, about Dongju that got Leedo’s attention in the first place? Dongju wanted to know what Leedo truly thought of him.

And besides that, the way Leedo had worded the statement made Dongju curious about something else.

_Has that sort of thing happened before?_

_What sort of thing?_

Dongju took his time in answering, knowing that it would probably be a delicate subject. _The people before me, those people… they changed, right?_

Leedo didn’t answer for a while. Dongju couldn’t set his phone down, much less start studying without knowing. He held onto his phone, waiting. He wasn’t sure how much time passed before Leedo replied.

_Short answer, yes._

Dongju didn’t want to press it anymore. _You’ll find I’m not the kind of person who changes easily._

_We’ll see about that one, Xion-ssi._

Hiding his smile, Dongju called Leedo. “Leedo-ssi,” he said once Leedo answered, not bothering with a greeting.

“Hello?” Leedo’s voice came. He sounded surprised but Dongju could sense the slightest bit of relief, of content in his voice. He’d made Leedo happy. “I could’ve called you first. All you need to do is ask.”

“Just consider this my gift to you tonight. Don’t you like it?”

“You’re not supposed to—” Leedo stopped and laughed instead.

His laugh was sweet. It was much different than his speaking voice, something Dongju had noted from the moment he’d first heard it. It was a bit high-pitched and a little breathy, and always with the same rhythm to it. Every time he’d heard it so far, Dongju had gotten a bit more used to the sound. Dongju felt himself grow warm in the face and held back a smile.

“Yes, I like it very much, Xion-ssi,” Leedo said.

* * *

It had been an unusually slow Tuesday. Since he didn’t have to worry about hurrying to classes in the morning, he was able to pick up a morning shift and work alongside one of his favorite co-workers, and despite the mornings typically being extremely busy for the shop, it’d been oddly calm. In between preparing orders and catching up with Hyungu, Dongju messaged Leedo. It didn’t seem like he was busy either, replying to each of Dongju’s messages within moments.

“You have plans tonight?” Hyungu asked once the customer he’d been attending left. It caught Dongju by surprise and when he looked up, Hyungu was leaning against the prep counter, head tilted and eyes curious. “Something special?”

Was it that easy to tell? Or maybe Dongmyeong had said something to him. “Yeah, something like that,” Dongju answered, licking his lips. He set his phone aside just as it lit up with a new notification, a message from Leedo. “Why do you ask?”

Hyungu shrugged one shoulder. “Just asking.” A moment passed and then Hyungu straightened up, smoothing down his apron. He looked at something behind Dongju. “Hyung?”

Dongju turned, seeing Yonghoon standing on the other side of the counter. He gave Dongju a wave, which he returned. Hyungu made his way over, voice dropping to a whisper. Yonghoon’s replies were a bit too loud, something about how he had the time and wanted to surprise Hyungu today, and it was accompanied by Hyungu shushing him. Dongju’s shifts didn’t overlap much with Hyungu’s but he heard a few stories from Keonhee about how often Yonghoon came, if just to see Hyungu, as embarrassed as it left him sometimes.

Dongju left them to it, taking his phone and leaving from behind the counters to find an empty table. Without the semester in session, there weren’t any students looking to study, so Dongju took advantage and sat at the best table in the entire shop. It was by the side windows where not too many people passed by, the music they played wasn’t too loud, and the sunlight poured in just right in the late morning. It wasn’t as bright today but the small amount of sunlight still lifted his mood a little.

Finally, he checked his phone.

 _I’m curious about something_ , Leedo had written.

 _What?_ Dongju wrote back.

Leedo’s reply was immediate. _You easily agreed to meet today. I wondered if you had any other plans for today. Or tonight, to be specific._

Dongju reread the message a couple of times, head tilted in confusion as he mouthed the words to himself. Other plans? _There’s no reason I’d be busy._

_I see._

It left an odd feeling settling in Dongju’s chest but he moved past it, changing the subject. Leedo accepted it easily. Dongju was able to exchange a good amount of messages with Leedo before the late morning rush started. Late morning was also a busy time and it did pick up a good amount compared to the morning. Dongju was thankful that it wasn’t just him and Hyungu in the shop, with someone else coming right before they were overwhelmed with customers.

He didn’t work at a chain coffeehouse so it was never nearly as busy compared to the one a few minutes away but it was still somewhat known with people his age. The small shop he worked at was rather small, neatly tucked on a small street corner beside a dry cleaning place, but it had many things to offer. There were plenty of seating options, from tables to plush loveseats, and the atmosphere was always inviting and calm with the large windows, an abundance of plants, and calm music instrumentals. The shop also offered specialty and themed drinks and desserts that seemed to appeal to younger people, especially young women. 

Dongju wondered if the employees were also a charming point of the place, noticing how all the young women that came in giggled and whispered shyly to their friends as Hyungu manned the register. As more people began to come into the coffee shop, Dongju said goodbye to Leedo for the meantime, stepping in to take orders at the second register.

After most of the late morning rush had passed, Dongju was able to rest. Lunch was always a bit calmer and they could take it easy. He cleaned up whatever was left and when he was finished, he found Hyungu waiting for him at the end of the counter, a bag in hand.

“You haven’t taken your break yet,” he said, offering the bag.

“My shift is nearly over, hyung,” Dongju answered, laughing a little and taking the bag anyway. He had about twenty minutes left and he’d probably take the chance to leave early. “It’s a bit too late, isn’t it?”

Hyungu smiled, looking away. “Just leave early. It’s fine. We can take it from here. Someone else is coming in in an hour or so.”

Dongju hesitated for a moment but Hyungu insisted once more. Soon, he was all bundled up and on his way to the bus stop, where he waited for only a few minutes. When he returned home, it was empty and he took advantage of it, unpacking what Hyungu had given him. It was three slices of the shop’s chocolate strawberry cake, one for each of them, Dongju assumed. He ate his piece, leaving the other two in the refrigerator for whenever Dongmyeong and Giwook returned.

Once he finished, Dongju checked the information Leedo had sent him for their meeting today. They’d be meeting for dinner and Dongju hadn’t recognized which restaurant Leedo had chosen. Once he reviewed the information given by Leedo, Dongju looked up the restaurant, Kibatsu. It was a sushi place and like The Mess, Kibatsu was part of a hotel but this hotel was far more luxurious than the one from before. It was also a bit further away and if he wanted to be there on time, he had to start getting ready now.

He spent a while looking for something decent and by the time he had a couple of options laid out, someone was knocking on his door. When it opened and Dongju looked over his shoulder, he saw Dongmyeong peeking in.

“Hey,” he said. Dongju motioned for him to come in, turning back to look at his clothes. Dongmyeong came up beside him. “Oh, these are good.”

“Good is not great,” Dongju muttered. He sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed, mindful of not sitting on anything he’d laid out. “I have to get going soon.”

Dongmyeong took a seat beside him, also careful to not sit on anything. “Thanks for leaving the apartment to us tonight,” he said. “Seoho hyung will drive you home. It’s supposed to snow tonight so whatever you choose, make sure it’s thick enough. God knows you’ll get annoyed by the cold.”

“Seoho hyung?” Dongju looked at Dongmyeong, confused. “I’m coming back alone.”

“Alone? But Keo—” Dongmyeong paused, grabbing Dongju’s bicep and pulling him. “Dongju, where are you going tonight? I thought you were going to Seoho hyung’s for the party.”

Dongju grabbed Dongmyeong’s wrist and pulled his hand away. “I told Seoho hyung I couldn’t go.” He waited for a moment, gauging Dongmyeong’s expression. He was confused and if Dongju gave him a moment, he’d probably realize it himself. “I’m having dinner with Leedo.”

Dongmyeong’s eyes widened, grabbing Dongju’s arm again. “Leedo? You’re seeing him tonight?” When Dongju nodded, Dongmyeong looked away and exhaled deeply. “Dongju, you told me… the arrangement wasn’t like this though?”

“Like what?”

“He’s taking you on a date?”

“It’s not a date,” Dongju answered, pulling Dongmyeong’s hand off him once more. “Why would you even say something like that?”

Dongmyeong looked surprised. “Why?” He stood up and moved in front of Dongju, placing a hand on his shoulders. “Because today, Dongju, is _Valentine’s_ Day.”

Dongju held his breath, staring at Dongmyeong. What? That couldn’t be right. No, Dongju thought, it couldn’t be right because he hadn’t seen or heard anything. If today was Valentine’s Day, the shop would’ve been… But now that he thought about it, there were more couples as part of today’s customers and he’d made more of those special drinks and desserts today than any other day so far. And Hyungu had asked him… And Leedo had said…

The message Leedo had sent him earlier. _I wondered if you had any other plans for today._

“No, that’s…” Dongju shrugged Dongmyeong away, taking a slow breath, in and out. He met Dongmyeong’s concerned eyes. “It isn’t like _that_ , you know. It’s just… he’s leaving and tonight was the only time we had before he left and we go home tomorrow.”

How could the significance of the day slipped right by him so easily? Dongju didn’t have something to celebrate but he was always at least aware of the days. He’d gone nearly the entire day not thinking of it, entirely distracted by the plans for tonight. _Was_ this a Valentine’s Day dinner? No, it couldn’t be. If it was, Dongju would have to step back and reevaluate a few things. Leedo said he didn’t want anything more from this arrangement than someone to keep him company and if that was a way to gain Dongju’s trust and make him agree to something else, Dongju wouldn’t fall for it.

“It’s fine,” Dongju said, not liking the concern in Dongmyeong’s eyes.

In moments like this, when Dongmyeong decided to act like the big brother, the seconds that separated them seemed like years; the minute between them felt like an eternity. Dongju could bask in shows of concern and affection when it was anyone else but when it was Dongmyeong, it was different. It took him back to when they were four-years-old and Dongju would cry ‘ _hyung, hyung_ ’ after Dongmyeong, a sense of helplessness settling over him. Dongju wasn’t helpless anymore. At least, he didn’t think he was. So… 

“Don’t,” Dongju muttered, shrugging Dongmyeong’s hands off and looking away so he wouldn’t have to face the worried expression that resembled their mother’s. He breathed out and gathered himself, hoping his voice wouldn’t betray him. “I don’t want to ruin your night.”

“And I don’t want to ruin yours.” Dongmyeong flicked Dongju’s cheek, laughing a little. He sat down and wrapped an arm around Dongju’s shoulders. “If you say it’s fine, then it’s fine. You have your private life. It’s just Keonhee said he’d invited you and Seoho hyung would be able to drive you home so when you told me you were going out tonight, I assumed you were going. Sorry for that.”

Dongju pushed him away, feigning annoyance. “How bothersome,” he huffed. There was very little bite to his tone and Dongmyeong laughed. “I didn’t even realize the date.”

“You know… if you could stay out a bit later, convince Leedo-ssi to treat you to something else, so Giwook and I ca—”

“Shut up,” Dongju exclaimed, shoving Dongmyeong a bit harder than before. Dongmyeong rubbed at his arm, complaining under his breath. “I don’t need to hear those things. I’ll stay out late, go to Seoho and Keonhee hyung’s place if I have to.”

Dongmyeong smiled, standing up. “Thanks, Dongju,” he said, going to the door. Before he left, he looked at Dongju. “And where are you going tonight?”

“Kibatsu,” Dongju answered.

“That’s extremely luxurious.” Dongmyeong raised his eyebrows in surprise and then a mischievous smile formed on his lips. “Have fun,” he sang.

Dongju nearly grabbed the nearest thing to throw at Dongmyeong before the door closed, hearing Dongmyeong’s muffled laugh on the other side.

* * *

Kibatsu was located within the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Seoul. Dongju arrived with some time to spare, sending Leedo a message and waiting in the lobby. He could see the restaurant entrance but he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to go in. Several couples were being let in, their hands linked together. There was no required attire and seeing them in business casual attire put Dongju at ease about his own clothes.

He rubbed his cold hands together, cursing under his breath for having forgotten his gloves. He’d rushed out of the apartment so he’d be able to make it to the station before the next train and only realized he’d forgotten a few things when Dongmyeong texted him. He was just thankful he hadn’t forgotten his phone in his hurry. 

It buzzed in his pocket and Dongju pulled it out.

_I’m sorry for the wait. I’ll be right there._

Dongju put his phone away, looking up and scanning the area. He could see more couples, all their chatter mixing. The hotel lobby was large and after the people walking through disappeared, either out the front glass doors, into a restaurant, or one of the elevators, it was a bit quiet, just the gentle hum of whatever instrumental music was playing through a speaker somewhere. It took another minute before Leedo stepped out of an elevator, his gaze scanning over the lobby before finding Dongju.

Dongju stood, clasping his hands in front of him. He took the chance to study Leedo while he made his way over. He wore something similar to the first and last time Dongju had seen him — dark well-fitting slacks, a white shirt tucked into his slacks paired with a dark blazer, and shiny black shoes. It suited him well. Dongju cleared his throat, hoping the way he’d checked Leedo out wasn’t obvious.

Leedo stopped an arm’s distance away, looking over Dongju. He made no effort in hiding it. “Xion-ssi, hello,” he said, his attention moving back up to Dongju’s face. The longer Leedo stared, the more Dongju wondered how flushed his cheeks were becoming. “You look…”

“It’s the cold,” Dongju said quickly, hoping Leedo would buy the excuse. He could feel how hot his face was now. It was hot enough that he no longer felt the chill in his hands from being outside. “My hands are even worse.”

“That’s not it. I meant to say you look nice,” he said, clearing his throat and looking away, hiding his smile behind his fist. Dongju wasn’t sure if it was the lights or if there really was a soft pink tinging the tips of Leedo’s ears. “Anyway, let’s eat, shall we?”

Dongju followed behind Leedo, who spoke to the host at the restaurant entrance. They were ushered to a small table in the back, mostly away from the chatter. Leedo thanked the host and Dongju gave him a nod before he left them alone to settle down.

“Here, let me help,” Leedo murmured, moving behind Dongju when he began to take off his coat.

As Dongju pulled the coat over his shoulders, Leedo carefully took over. Dongju nearly jumped, surprised by feeling Leedo’s hands over his. They were warm and it took everything in Dongju not to look over his shoulder at Leedo. He held his breath instead, feeling Leedo’s hands move away from his to grab a different part of his coat. Leedo draped the coat over his arm and pulled out Dongju’s chair.

“Thank you,” Dongju murmured.

Leedo put Dongju’s coat over the back of the chair before moving to his seat on the other side. “You were right. Your hands are cold,” he said. It was hard to tell underneath the dim lighting of the lamp hanging over them but this time Dongju was sure the color on Leedo’s cheeks was there. Leedo cleared his throat, picking up the menu. “I’m sorry if you don’t like raw fish. They have some good substitutions here.”

“I don’t mind it,” Dongju answered, picking up his own menu. “I really like sushi.”

There were a couple of different dinner sets they could choose from and once their server came with complimentary glasses of water, they ordered, surprised to have chosen the same set. Leedo had asked Dongju if he wanted anything in particular to drink and Dongju had agreed to some wine so Leedo also asked for a bottle as well. 

They spoke very little as they waited and Dongju realized how different this was from their first meeting. Without the need to speak about the terms of their arrangement anymore, there was nothing that they could say. Despite the messages, they’d exchanged and the short phone calls, Leedo couldn’t seem to look at him, much less form a sentence. Dongju had always been someone who could easily start a conversation but even his attempts failed him now.

“So, Leedo-ssi—”

“Geonhak,” Leedo interrupted. Dongju saw how his hands were flat against the table and Leedo met his eyes with an unreadable expression. “You heard it before, at the other restaurant. My name is Geonhak.”

Dongju blinked a few times, taking in the information. “Geonhak-ssi,” he tried.

“There’s no need to be formal.”

“Geonhak,” Dongju said. Leedo looked relieved. “Are you sure?”

Before he could answer, the server returned with the bottle of wine. They remained silent as he poured it in their glasses. The wine was a deep red and Dongju stared at it, thinking. What had prompted Leedo into explicitly telling Dongju his real name? Dongju couldn’t give his own name out even if he was sure Leedo was someone he could trust. Giving his name would reveal too much.

The server left but neither of them reached for their glasses. Instead, Leedo picked up his glass of water and took a sip. Dongju stayed quiet, waiting for Leedo to say something.

“Xion-ssi,” Leedo started. Dongju was surprised by the continued formality on Leedo’s part. “By any chance, do you know what day it is?”

“I do,” Dongju answered. “I’m sorry if I took time away from… other plans you might’ve had.”

Dongju had thought it before, during their first meeting. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one Leedo had. It wasn’t Dongju’s business and Leedo wasn’t obligated to let him know what else he did in his private time.

“Xion-ssi, do you remember the things on—” Leedo licked his lips and leaned in a little. Dongju followed, careful not to bump his wine glass. “—do you remember the things on my profile?”

“What?”

Leedo looked around despite being a bit secluded from other diners in the restaurant and then met Dongju’s eyes again. “There was one thing on there.”

Dongju tried to remember if there was something that had stood out from his profile but nothing came to mind. There was nothing about other relationships or arrangements. From other profiles he’d seen, some men had been extremely honest, writing that they were married and looking for someone to care for on the side or that they were looking to add to the group of people they already supported. Leedo wasn’t… married, was he?

“It’s monogamous, Xion-ssi,” Leedo said finally. He pulled away, looking off to the side.

“Ah.” So apart from Dongju… “There’s no one else?”

“Correct,” Leedo replied. He returned his attention to Dongju. “And I didn’t know if—will you answer honestly if I ask a question?”

“I’ll do my best,” Dongju replied. His voice sounded weak in his own ears.

“Do you have a significant other?”

“No,” he said. He didn’t. It had been years since he’d been in a relationship. He’d had a couple of flings but none of them had led to anything concrete. “No significant other.”

“Is there someone else like me?” Leedo asked.

“No,” Dongju repeated. “I haven’t even gone back on there since I messaged you.”

Dongju had nearly forgotten about the site entirely until he got an email from it. It had notified him about more messages and people who’d favorited him but Dongju hadn’t felt the need to log back on. He considered going to delete his profile but something had stopped him.

“Okay. If it’s too much to ask, for you to only…”

“Have you?” Dongju offered when Leedo trailed off. He didn’t mean to seem on the offensive but it sounded like that in his ears and by Leedo’s reaction, he’d heard it too.

Leedo stiffened in his seat. Dongju noticed how he clenched his jaw a little and wondered if he’d been wrong to say it. “That’s one way to put it.”

“I’m sorry.” Dongju tried his best to smile. “There’s nobody else.”

“If there ever is, please tell me,” Leedo-ssi said. He looked away again, his expression softening.

“And what will happen if there is?” Dongju already knew the answer but he needed to hear Leedo say it.

Leedo took a deep breath and looked back at him, a serious expression on his face. “We’ll end it then and there.”

* * *

The sushi was delicious and Dongju was full by the time they were finished. He just barely managed to eat mango pudding offered for dessert. And conversation with Leedo had gone smoothly for the most part with only a few lulls that Dongju had rushed to fill. Leedo was timid at first but after a while, everything seemed to fall into place.

Dongju took it slow with the drinking, alternating between the wine and the water. It didn’t escape him how Leedo had taken very little sips from his own wine glass. By the time Leedo handed his card over to pay, there was a warm flush across Dongju’s face but Leedo wasn’t at all affected. In fact, Leedo’s wine glass was still filled with the same wine they’d started with. Dongju almost asked if he didn’t drink but Leedo spoke before he could.

“Xion-ssi, I’m sorry about how the night started,” he said once the server left.

“It’s nothing,” Dongju replied, waving his hands.

After getting past everything at the start, things had been good. He had enjoyed dinner and he liked seeing a new side of Leedo tonight. He was nervous but Dongju found his shy laughs rather endearing. Dongju liked how wonderful Leedo’s most genuine smiles were and the way he spoke was enticing. The short phone calls they’d been having never allowed Dongju the experience of seeing surprise and content displayed across Leedo’s features. 

The server returned and gave Leedo his card back before wishing them goodnight. Leedo stood and Dongju followed, taking his coat from the back of his chair and draping it over his arm. They walked out of the restaurant side-by-side and back into the bright lobby. It took a moment for Dongju to adjust to the light before he could turn to Leedo.

“I enjoyed tonight.”

“I did, too,” Leedo said, giving him a small smile. “Xion-ssi, if it’s not too much… I do have a room reserved here for tonight.”

Dongju’s smile faltered. “Leedo-ssi, that’s—” He cleared his throat. “I don’t think I can go anywhere like that with you. I know we had some wine and it was very lovely. I don’t think you’re intention was to—”

“That’s not it. Not with me,” Leedo interrupted, clearly embarrassed. He looked at his watch and then at Dongju again. “It’s nearly nine and it’s started to snow. Having you go out and travel in this weather, I wouldn’t feel right. If the hotel room is too much, at least let me take you home.”

“You’re not driving, right?”

Leedo laughed and Dongju bit down on his bottom lip to hold back his smile. “Of course not. I have someone who’ll drive us. So, what do you think?”

“Leedo-ssi—”

“Geonhak,” Leedo said. He’d kept repeating it through the night but Dongju couldn’t get used to it yet. “What is it?”

“Geonhak,” Dongju repeated, keeping his voice quiet. Dongju hesitated, looking at Leedo’s face. He seemed sincere and there was something in his gaze that Dongju couldn’t pinpoint but it was convincing. Finally, he let out a long sigh. “Okay.”

Leedo seemed relieved. “It’ll just take a moment. Excuse me.”

Dongju put on his coat as Leedo stepped away with his phone. It was a bit busier now, with more people walking through the lobby. Despite the snow, there were plenty of people leaving the hotel. There were a few high-end clubs nearby and several romantic restaurants within walking distance that he imagined were busy tonight. Dongju wondered if he could somehow extend his time together with Leedo, for Dongmyeong and Giwook’s sake. And for his own. Dongju didn’t want to return and walk into the middle of their romantic night. He was almost tempted to take Leedo’s offer on the hotel room. If it was just going to be him, it wouldn’t be too bad.

Leedo returned, pocketing his phone. “The car will be here in a couple of minutes,” he said.

Dongju hummed.

An awkward silence fell over them once again. Dongju turned, looking towards the main doors. After a moment, a sleek black car pulled up and he heard Leedo sigh in relief behind him.

“That’s him.” He stepped beside Dongju. “Let’s go.”

The moment they stepped outside, Dongju was hit with the cold. It was freezing. He could see how the snow had blanketed over the bushes and ground that wasn’t covered by the porte-cochère. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat, trying to keep himself from shivering. Leedo moved towards the car first as an older man got out of the car and came around to open the door for them. Leedo looked over his shoulder and motioned for Dongju to come closer. Dongju approached slowly and got in first, sitting behind the driver’s seat and getting his seatbelt on. Leedo sat behind the passenger seat, leaving the space between them empty. The driver shut the door and made his way back around, getting in. He took a moment to adjust something and soon, Dongju felt much warmer, the chill that had settled over him slowly disappearing. He kept himself small, making sure his hands stayed over his lap and his eyes didn’t wander.

“Xion-ssi, what’s the address?” Leedo asked.

Dongju cleared his throat, briefly glancing at Leedo. It was still early and he wanted to give Dongmyeong and Giwook some more alone time. Going home now was a bit… “Ah…”

“You don’t have to tell me,” Leedo said, seeming to notice Dongju’s hesitance. Dongju wanted to explain but he thought it would be better not to introduce personal information. “You can just put it into the phone there.”

The driver offered a phone and Dongju took it with a weak smile in his direction. He took a moment to think about what he should do. He could ask to be dropped off at the café. It was still open and he could linger around until it neared closing time. The walk from the shop wasn’t bad though he would be cold the entire time. He could go to Hyungu’s apartment as well. Or…

Dongju typed in an address and handed it back to the driver.

The drive was silent and after a while, the driver turned on some quiet music. Dongju mindlessly picked at things on his coat and jeans, keeping his gaze down and only occasionally looking out the window. Seoul was always busy and bright, even with tonight’s snow. But soon, the scene changed and they were driving through smaller, quieter streets filled with small shops and apartment complexes.

When they were in a neighborhood Dongju recognized, he pulled out his phone, opening the messaging app. He found his conversation with Seoho and sent him a message, asking him to come down to the front. He could sense Leedo glancing over from beside him and he quickly locked his phone, hoping he hadn’t seen anything.

The car slowed to a stop on the side of the road in front of a small complex. Before Dongju could open his door, the driver was already out and opening it for him. He stepped out, thanking him quietly. It seemed to be even colder than it was when they left the hotel and Dongju pulled his coat around himself a bit tighter. He turned to look back inside the car, wanting to thank Leedo, but he only caught the door on the other side closing. He straightened up and looked over the car, seeing Leedo standing on the other side.

Leedo rounded the car, motioning to the driver. Dongju turned to look at the older man, watching him close the door he’d just opened for Dongju and step away. “Xion-ssi,” Leedo said, getting Dongju to look back at him.

“Aren’t you freezing?” Dongju asked, noticing that he didn’t have the blazer anymore.

“It’s just for a minute,” Leedo said, holding his hand up to stop Dongju from speaking again.

The driver moved to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Leedo joined him, saying something to him. Dongju shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking over his shoulder. Seoho hadn’t come down yet and he hoped it would take him a bit longer. He wasn’t sure how he would explain who Leedo was to him. 

“Xion-ssi,” Leedo repeated.

Dongju returned his attention to him and his mouth fell open when he saw what Leedo had. He was carrying two large gift bags in one hand and in the other was a bouquet. He stood there, letting Dongju take it all in.

“Lee… Leedo-ssi,” Dongju breathed out, the air coming out in a white puff that disappeared within moments. His hands were freezing but he took them out of his pockets, hesitant about reaching out to grab the items. “What is this?”

“It’s just a few things I got for you,” Leedo said.

He offered the bags first and Dongju took them without a word. They felt heavy in his hand and he wondered just how many things Leedo had put inside for him. The flowers were next and Dongju took them carefully. He cradled the bouquet against his chest like it was a baby. They were red roses and he could assume there were a dozen of them. 

“Leedo-ssi,” Dongju repeated, just as surprised as the first time. “This is… far too much, don’t you think?”

“Thank you for having dinner with me tonight, Xion-ssi. I hope we can meet again when I get back,” Leedo said instead. He took a step closer and under the dim streetlights, Dongju could see how he was blushing. Whether it was from the cold or because of the gifts, Dongju didn’t know. Perhaps both. “In the meantime, please enjoy these things. I tried my best to pick things that would suit your taste.”

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Dongju said honestly. He hadn’t expected this much at all. Maybe he’d picked up on a hint that he would receive something tonight but nothing like this. It really was so much to take in. “Thank you, Leedo-ssi.”

Leedo smiled. “Good night, Xion-ssi,” he said.

“Thank you,” Dongju repeated, and Leedo laughed. It sounded so much sweeter now. “I hope you have a safe trip.”

“I’ll…” Leedo exhaled, a white cloud appearing in front of his lips. He shook his head, muttering something Dongju didn’t hear well. Dongju was curious as to what he wanted to say. Leedo met his eyes again. Dongju didn’t know when he would see him again so he tried to memorize this moment, with the snow falling slowly and dotting Leedo’s dark hair and the streetlamp casting a warm halo around him. “Send me a message when you can.”

“Okay,” Dongju said.

Leedo got back into the car, not looking back. Dongju stood there, watching as the door closed and Leedo disappeared. The windows were tinted so he couldn’t see if Leedo was looking at him from the inside. The car finally pulled away and Dongju followed it with his eyes until it turned the corner and disappeared.

“Dongju?”

Dongju turned and found Seoho standing a couple of meters away. He was bundled up in a thick coat with a hat and a scarf. All Dongju could see were his eyes and his pink cheeks. “Hyung.”

“Who was that?”

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to see all that.” Seoho waved him over. “Get over here before you freeze to death.”

Dongju approached Seoho, ignoring the curious look on his face. “Is your party still going?”

“Everyone left a while ago,” Seoho assured.

They stepped inside the complex and Seoho pushed the call button for the elevator. It was quiet as they waited and Dongju knew that Seoho was curious but he’d stay quiet for now. When they stepped into the elevator and Seoho pushed the button for his floor, Dongju took a deep breath.

“It’s not what you think, hyung,” Dongju said.

“Okay then,” Seoho replied, shrugging his shoulders. It was quiet for another minute and then Seoho looked over at him and studied everything in Dongju’s hands. “Maybe it’s nothing to you but what about for him? He certainly seems… interested.”

“It’s not like that,” Dongju murmured. Maybe one day he would tell Seoho what his relationship with Leedo was but it was too much and too soon to explain now. “Trust me.”

Seoho said nothing else. When they got into the apartment, Keonhee was cleaning up. He seemed surprised by everything Dongju had in his hands but Dongju gave him a look. Keonhee could be curious but he knew when to leave things alone and wait for Dongju to tell him the details. Dongju set his things aside and offered to help, listening to Keonhee talk about how the party went instead. It’d been a successful double celebration for Keonhee moving in and Valentine’s Day for people who happened to find themselves alone for the night.

“Seems like you had a good enough reason to not come tonight,” Keonhee joked once they finished cleaning and were eating some late-night snacks in the main room.

Dongju swatted at him, feeling his face grow warm. “Not like that,” he said.

“Then how is it like?”

“It’s just… something else.”

Much later, as they were getting ready to watch a movie, Dongju received a message from Leedo, and it surprised him. From what he’d been told, Leedo was leaving tonight, just hours after their dinner together. It was a photo from the airport and he could see Leedo, his luggage beside him, and the bright lights reflected in the window but that wasn’t meant to be the focus of the image. Past the window, Dongju could see the various planes parked on the ramp and beyond that, he could see the runway and the dark sky. The snow had stopped and it didn’t seem like there would be any flight delays. Soon, Leedo would be leaving, and he’d miles and hours away from Dongju.

Dongju pushed down the heavy feeling that wanted to settle over his chest and put his phone away, looking up to see Keonhee looking back at him already. There was a look on his face that Dongju knew meant something but he didn’t know what.

“Something else, huh?” was all Keonhee asked.

His phone went off again and Dongju checked, seeing the short message displayed on his lock screen. _I’ll come back soon_ , it said.

“Yeah,” Dongju said, rereading the message a few more times and trying to hold back the small smile forming on his lips. “He’s something else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes, just in case and just for fun, for those that are curious:
> 
> 1\. Geonhak asks Dongju if he has a younger sister because Dongju referred to Giwook as his brother-in-law and the appropriate word which I think he would use is 매제 (maeje), which can mean the husband of one’s younger sister or simply one’s younger brother-in-law. Dongju uses it with the latter definition in mind! PS: DM and GW aren’t really married, it’s just what Dongju refers to Giwook as since they’ve been together so long, LOL
> 
> 2\. Kibatsu is a fake restaurant (like The Mess) and it takes the place of the real-life sushi bar, Kauri, that can be found in the real Grand Hyatt Seoul. The Mess in the first chapter is from a completely made-up hotel, so not that important.
> 
> End notes! Please excuse any mistakes that I missed! Thank you again for reading, commenting, and leaving kudos. Everything is truly appreciated! I hope to post the next chapter soon. Until then, stay happy, healthy, and hydrated, everyone! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Here's where to find me and send me messages! 
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/taeyongsan) | [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/taeyongsan)


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